THERE was a Saxon invasion at a west Dorset school as it celebrated the completion of a new classroom.

Thorner's Primary School in Litton Cheney recently had the Saxon Hut in its discovery area thatched, meaning the space is completed and held a special assembly to celebrate.

To mark the occasion, pupils dressed up as Saxons, with some also donning Viking attire.

The completion has been a long time coming with the project starting around three or four years ago with plenty of parents and volunteers doing their bit to help.

Jyotsna Chaffey, headteacher at the school, said it wouldn't have been possible without them.

She said: "It was brilliant, it's been really good.

"I don't remember when it first started, it must have been three or four years ago we first thought about it.

"Various parents and volunteers have worked on it over the years and we were lucky that one of our governors who was a retired engineer took it on and he had a special interest in Saxon things."

The thatching was finally done over the summer and the project has now been complete.

As well as taking pupils back to a bygone era, the hut can also seat twenty children, meaning it can act as an engaging outdoor classroom.

Mrs Chaffey added that as well as enjoying using the hut, children are enthusiastic about the discovery area as a whole.

It is a learning and wildlife area allowing children to engage with the outdoors.

It has received strong praise in the past, winning awards from the Dorset Wildlife Trust and other organisations.

The completion of the thatching has been a long time coming, with the final timber structure put in place in December 2013.

The structure was built using ancient building techniques and materials which would have been prevalent in the UK from the fifth century right up until the Battle of Hastings.

At an Ofsted inspection last year, in which the school was rated "good", the outdoor environment was praised as "impressive" and teacher's planning was said to provide excellent opportunities for children to experience nature.

Mrs Chaffey wanted to thank all the volunteers who had helped and everyone who had donated materials to help make the thatching possible.

A letter was sent to all of them and they were all invited to the celebratory assembly.