THIS autumn Hartlepool school children have been left spellbound by a series of outdoor magical themed activities.

Quidditch training, potion mixing, cooking toffee apples and wand making are to name but a few of the enchanted workshops hosted by the Forest School Project.

The project, based on a former playing field at Rossmere Primary School, aims to give children a fun learning experience in a natural environment.

For the past month the development,which includes an outdoor eco-classroom, fire pit, meadows and areas for den building, has hosted a series of Harry Potter themed sessions.

Forest school manager Chris Skelly said: “The activities proved really popular with 660 children from ten schools in Hartlepool, Billingham and Stockton taking part in more than 15 separate two-hour sessions.

“In fact, we had to arrange extra sessions because the initial advertised ones sold out very quickly,” he added.

The Mayor of Hartlepool, Councillor Rob Cook visited to meet the children and join in the activities.

He said: “The Forest School project is of huge benefit to children in Hartlepool and beyond. It was great to see children learning and enjoying themselves outdoors and I would like to congratulate everyone involved in making the project such a big success.”