A PRIMARY school has held a picnic and costume competition to celebrate the forthcoming Platinum Jubilee.

St James Primary School in Lower Darwen started their day on Wednesday, May 25, with a school worship, with children dressed in red, white, blue or purple, or as a king or queen.

For the day, each class from reception to year six had to research a decade of the Queen's reign, with reception pupils looking from 2010 onwards whilst the oldest pupils looked at time period during the Queen’s ascension to the throne.

Pupils then presented this information in the afternoon in the hall to their peers, staff and the newly appointed Mayor of Blackburn, Councillor Suleman Khonat.

The mayor also helped in a vote on the best-dressed winner in key stage one and key stage two.

During lunch, pupils had a school picnic which had to be moved indoors due to the great British weather, with parents and family members joining their children.

During some better weather, children went outside to play lawn games with their families.

Acting Assistant Head, Melissa Tindall, said: “We really enjoyed the day, it was a pleasure to take part in a historical moment in history and celebrate with our school family.

“We will create a scrapbook of all the children's research and work so that we can remember this day forever.

“The children have been working on their oracy skills this year, so giving them a task that is engaging and purposeful like presenting to their peers and the mayor meant that they did an amazing job.”