LOOKING after wildlife is an essential part of a gamekeeper's work, a group of children learned on a visit to a Forest sporting estate.
The children, from Huntley Church of England Primary School, were able to hold pheasant chicks and growing birds and watched demonstrations using hawks and ferrets, as well as hearing about the day-to-day work of a keeper.
They were invited to the estate, near Lydney, by Simon Lester, who is Hereford and West Gloucestershire Chairman of the National Gamekeepers' Organisation.
"I have been lucky enough to spend my life living and working in the countryside, but many of today's children, even in rural areas, don't get the chance to understand how my work as a gamekeeper can help wildlife as a whole," he said.
"Colleagues who took part were keen to show the children what they get up to. The day went very well and our visitors clearly enjoyed seeing these things, many of them for the first and perhaps only time."
Huntley teacher Debbie Forty, who organised the visit, said: "It is extremely important that children are educated about the countryside.
"They are entitled to broad, balanced, unbiased information on which they can form their own opinions.
"The children thoroughly enjoyed themselves and clearly gained a lot from the experience."