ART turned explosive last week as pupils from a Chardstock school got hands on creating models of volcanoes and war with a local artist.

Primary students from St Andrew's School were introduced to painting, printmaking and plaster casting by Fee Bowie of anon.creatives.

"The children in year 3 and 4 were shown a video on Vesuvius erupting and the figures that have been found in Pompeii. They reflected their responses to what they have learnt in their art work using the fine art modules," Fee said.

"The children in years 5 and 6 focused their topic on the Second World War.

"Many of the children had great grandparents or other family members who had memorabilia including gas masks, tin hats, silk scarves with maps of Burma printed on, medals, newspaper cuttings, all of which are now treasured by the families.

"The children looked at photographs from the Imperial War Museum and discussed not only the content but how the photographs were taken and with what equipment compared with todays’ digital cameras.

"They produced their own photographs composing and creating models to set up for their own form of photo journalism."

For more information on the school, visit www.acornacademy.org/standrews.