AN EIGHT-year old girl has become a hit with her fellow pupils after she read a story to some furry friends and shared it with her class mates online.

Aimee, with the help of her mum Claire Rickman, came up with the idea in a bid to stay connected with her friends during the school closures.

It comes after UK government ordered all schools across the UK to close from last Friday onwards.

The pupil decided to film herself reading a story to a group of tiny yellow chicks and posted it to Oakhurst Community First and Nursery School Facebook group.

Aimee and her mother have been looking after the chicks for the weekend after the school, in Ferndown, recently hatched them.

Mum and school office worker at Oakhurst Community First and Nursery School, Claire, said: "We are now looking after the chicks for the weekend and aimee read the story tonight with the chicks so all the children could still see them.

"We all need a good news story right now. The chicks will be collected early due to the current situation but they have been a welcome distraction for children, staff and parents this past week."

Aimee has read Penguin, by Polly Dunbar, to the chicks while she has been off school - and they fell asleep peacefully.

The school looks after the chicks for two weeks every year and are given to them from hatching chick company Living Eggs.

Claire added: "She has had such lovely feedback from parents and their children and plans to read a different book every night and share it with our school community."