PRIMARY school pupils will be up with the rising sun to watch England's World Cup match against Nigeria live from Japan.

Brian Lowes, head of the 226-pupil Ouston Primary, in Chester-le-Street, is opening the school's doors at 7.30am to allow parents and children to watch the match together on June 12.

He said: "We're making it a community occasion by allowing the families to watch it together. The children will only lose about 15 minutes of teaching time.

"We are saying to the kids that if they want to come in in their shirts with their parents, we'll all watch it together with the flags up.

"The other two group matches take place during half-term but if England progress we'll think about doing it again.''

A spokeswoman for Durham County Council said decisions to show matches in schools were down to the discretion of the headmasters. But she said: "We're more than happy to encourage it if it is involving the community, like at Ouston."

Elaine Kay, principal officer for the Northern region of the National Union of Teachers, said watching the event in school would cut down on truanting on match days.