PUPILS in Otley have had a “hands-on” experience of the British judicial system.

Children at All Saints C of E Primary School re-enacted a real, Victorian court case as part of their studies into the history of crime and punishment.

And the Year 6 children, who dressed in period costume to play the roles of prosecutors, plaintiffs, defendants, judges and jurors, had the perfect setting for the event – Otley Courthouse.

The courthouse’s heritage group has been working with the class and teacher Sally Latchford on a series of special workshops exploring Victorian-era justice. So the venue allowed the pupils to use its old courtroom for last week’s “trial”.

Otley Courthouse’s secretary, Gill Leggatt, said: “This has been an excellent example of how schools can collaborate with local resources to strengthen the learning objectives of the National Curriculum.”