PUPILS of a school that suffered a devastating blaze had a special visit from a fire engine and its crew.

Firefighters from Poole’s Green Watch – led by crew manager Leah Stewart – dropped into Buckholme Towers’ temporary home in Parkstone United Reformed Church so the youngsters could look around the appliance, handle the equipment and ask questions.

Dorset Fire and Rescue Service spokeswoman Carol Longman explained that the reason for the visit was partly to provide reassurance for the children, some of whom had been upset by last week’s fire.

“The message is ‘Don’t be scared of the fire engine and firefighters and just make sure you are as safe as you can possibly be in the first place’,” she said.

Inside the school, John Sweet from the Community Safety Task Team delivered Safe D talks to different age groups about how they and their families could stay safe at home and what to do in the event of a fire.

“When you have had an incident like this, we feel it’s important that we don’t just leave it, but follow it up.

“Timing is important and I cancelled another school to be here today,” he said.

“We’re here to reassure the children and I’m going from class to class delivering age-appropriate messages. Some children do get a bit worried and think there’s going to be a fire all the time.

“Fortunately, we don’t have lots of fires.

“Sometimes if there is a fire, young children run and hide in a wardrobe or under a bed.

“Our message is get out, stay out and dial 999.”

The youngsters were given bronze safety certificates and safety questionnaires to take home and each class was given a Seb Safety Bear.

They will qualify for a silver certificate if they complete the questions, and could go on to gold if they promote fire safety to the wider community.

“Children are very good at teaching adults,” said Mr Sweet.

The visitors were given cards and pictures by the children to thank the service for its efforts in tackling the early-morning blaze, thought to have been caused by an electrical fault.