EXCITED young historians were transformed into stars for the day when a TV crew dropped in at their school.

Pupils in class five at the Benjamin Hargreaves School, Accrington, were filmed for the Channel 4 documentary Collector's Lot.

Their teachers were contacted by the company just over a week ago after TV researchers read an article in Lancashire Life magazine about the school's project on the Accrington Pals.

Head teacher Daphne Durham said: "When we told the children they were going to be on television they were incredibly excited."

Their classroom was turned into a mini studio with lights and cameras.

Pupils were filmed studying artefacts, interviewed and asked what they had learnt and also read their poems and prayers composed about the war.

The school started the project last year with pupils in the top class to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme, in which many members of the Accrington Pals battalion perished.

The children are now combining their Pals project with studying the First World War Battle of Paschendale, which has its 80th anniversary this year.

They had another surprise this week when they were invited to Liverpool to meet war veterans embarking on a pilgrimage to Belgium to commemorate the Paschendale battle.

They were contacted by pilgrimage organisers who had also read the Lancashire Life story.

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