Wool proves a wow with children at countryside days event

While most people know where wool comes from it's not quite as obvious to schoolchildren - but as one young Mum from Leeds commented during her visit to the Countryside Days event at Harrogate: "To be able to watch a sheep actually being sheared just a few feet away, and to be able to touch the wool and realise how it's used, is a massive learning experience for children."

Mandy Nicholson was with her son Harry, 10, and his classmates from Yeadon Westfield Junior School as they visited the British Wool Marketing Board's educational exhibit at the Countryside Days event at Harrogate.

The two-day event - aimed at giving primary school children first-hand experience of rural life and environmental issues - included the story of wool.

Although the shearing demonstrations proved to be one of the event's most popular attractions, children were also able to see Wensleydale sheep - the largest UK breed that produces the highest quality wool - as well as see wool being spun into yarn.

And teachers were equally enthusiastic about the chance to get out of the classroom and give children a real "taste" of the countryside.

Commented a teacher from the Archbishop of York C of E School: "There's nothing to beat this approach to learning. We can use all the modern classroom aids at our disposal but children respond so much more to the real thing.

"They will have soaked up an amazing amount of knowledge just from being here for one day, and seeing and experiencing for themselves how the countryside really works."