PUPILS have swapped “meals on wheels” for dinners prepared in their own school kitchen thanks to the opening of a new facility.

School dinners at Eppleby Forcett school, near Richmond, used to be prepared in the village hall and wheeled down the street to the school.

But now, thanks to the opening of a proper kitchen the lunches are prepared, cooked and served on the school premises.

The kitchen was officially opened by Richmond MP Rishi Sunak who said it was “very impressive” given the space available.

Executive headteacher Kate Williamson explained that for many years the children walked to the village hall for their lunches until it was deemed too dangerous.

So school cook Lisa Creer continued to cook the meals in the village hall kitchen and wheeled them down to the school in all weathers.