CHILDREN learned about dealing with a major incident after an alien spaceship appeared to have crash-landed in their primary school.

Pupils arrived at South Stanley Junior School earlier this week to find wreckage in the field and a police van with officers and firefighters.

It was then their job to work out what had happened.

Teaching assistant Steve Watson said: “They did not have a clue what had happened when they came in.

“Outside we had two crash scenes where an alien craft has split in two.

“We had an emergency transmitter, codes in different languages and clues like a three-fingered glove that the children have found.”

The exercise was also staged to build good relations between the emergency services and youngsters.

PCSO Ashley Marsden said: “A few have told us that they want to be police officers when they are older so let’s hope they follow their dreams.”