IF you went down to Glusburn School on Tuesday, you'd have been sure of a big surprise!

For teddy bears belonging to children who attend the school's nursery were enjoying a picnic out in the sunshine.

The annual event was organised by nursery nurse Janet Morris to coincide with Bring Your Bear Week, a challenge set by Action Research.

The charity, whose mascot is Paddington Bear, is dedicated to preventing and treating disease and disability.

As well as the picnic, all the nursery, reception and Key Stage One children were allowed to bring their teddy bears into school if they donated £1.

They were then entered into a raffle, which will be drawn at a special assembly today (Friday). It will be taken by the nursery school pupils, who will tell the rest of the school about their picnic.

The raffle prizes are a Paddington Bear soft toy and a copy of the book Paddington Goes to Hospital signed by Paddington's creator Michael Bond.

Janet Wood, the teacher in charge of the nursery, told the Herald the children had thoroughly enjoyed the event.

She said: "The children were able to get a lot of learning out of the experience. We told the children they had to keep telling their teddies how they should behave, for example, not pushing and being quiet when in line."

She added that the fun event had covered all areas of the curriculum.