THE dangers of child exploitation and drug trafficking were brought home to pupils in an interactive dramatic production.

County Lines was performed as part of the ‘Happy, Healthy, Successful’ programme of activities at John Kyrle High School in Ross-on-Wye, which are designed to ensure children are made aware of how to stay safe.

Year 9 students watched and took part in the production, named after the practise of gangs exporting their drug dealing into new territories using youngsters and which centered on two vulnerable teenagers (Jess and Randal) enticed into trafficking by a manipulative, violent drug dealer.

Pupil Sophie Stallard, 14, said afterward: “County Lines truly captures the importance of child exploitation and we can all agree that it helped us understand the dangers of being involved with drug trafficking.

“It made us all aware of how drug dealers can easily exploit people’s vulnerabilities and manipulate you into doing what they want.

“It clearly showed us each part of the grooming process in six clear stages – identification, engagement, building relationships, building dependency, entrapment and checkmate.

“Therefore, if this would ever happen to one of us, we could easily spot it and tell someone we trust.

“I personally thought County Lines was informative, easy to follow and educational; I believe that it really engaged students of our age.

“We are very lucky that our school provides us with essential solutions to these problems and I hope other children at other schools get this opportunity as well – to learn that it is important to say ‘no’ if you disagree with something or you feel uncomfortable in a situation. But most importantly, to tell someone you trust.”