PUPILS from schools in Accrington quizzed a panel of local politicians at a Question Time event.

The event was held at Accrington and Rossendale College and also saw pupils from Heathland School, and St Anne’s and St Joseph’s Roman Catholic Primary School taking part.

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They asked the panel a range of questions on topics including education, employment, town centre, crime and anti-social behaviour.

The panel included council leader Cllr Miles Parkinson, leader of the Conservative group Cllr Tony Dobson and leader of UKIP group Cllr Paul Thompson.

Hyndburn’s MP, Graham Jones was also on the panel, along with Sgt Ian Corbett, of the police, and Kerry Gormley, of the Green Party.

Cllr Parkinson said: “This was a lively and interesting debate bringing together elected politicians with future generations of electors.”

The event was organised as part of Parliament Week 2015, which was a programme of events and activities taking place across the country, connecting people with parliament and democracy in the UK.

Headteacher Darren Mussell, of St Anne’s and St Joseph’s, said: “We were invited to the event and it was quite interesting and enjoyable.

“At the school we already have a pupils’ parliament and all our student MPs are in year six.

“The students got together to narrow down a list of questions to ask at the Question Time. One of the questions asked by a year six pupil was what we could do to help ease the Syrian refugee crisis.

“We have now been challenged by the panel to come up with ideas to raise money for the refugees.”

The debate was held to engage children across Lancashire to get involved with politics and Jacquie Baldwin, vice principal of Heathland School, said:”The students prepared questions beforehand but really got involved and asked the panel questions after the event about how to get into politics.

“They were really interested to know about any other forums going on that they could get involved in.

“I am surprised that a lot of other schools who were invited did not turn up.”