PUPILS at Brook Field Primary School are well aware of the dangers of straying on railway lines, leaving laptops on beds and carrying weapons after winning the annual Junior Good Citizen competition.

The Year 6 youngsters were presented with the 25th Anniversary Shield on Monday by PCSO Mandi Coles who has run it in Swindon for the past five years.

Teacher Hannah Grant said they had spent a day doing different activities and learning about risks including stranger danger, fire safety, drink driving and safety on the railway.

“They came away just learning so much from it and it is incredible how much they remember.”

“It is all about how to be responsible teenagers,” she said. “We have been doing it for a few years now and it is really nice for them to win this year.”

Schools from all over Swindon took part in the scheme, which is organised by Wiltshire Police and backed by Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Service, the British Red Cross, British Transport Police, Swindon Borough Council and the town’s youth offending team.

PCSO Coles explained it was aimed at Year 6 pupils because they were about to move up to secondary school and were on the verge of becoming teenagers.

“The thing for us is we want to give them as much information as possible because they are going from being quite protected to the wider world. It is about staying safe outside and at home.

As far as weapons were concerned, she said young people were making decisions whether to carry weapons and it was right to bring the problem to the youngsters attention so they could think about their personal safety.

“It was really interesting,” said pupil Harriet Nind. “I learned that you’re more likely to hurt yourself carrying a weapon than defending yourself.”

Abdullah Mohammad added that if you are caught with a weapon for self-defence you will be arrested.

Anabella Downing said: “The smallest things can create the biggest problems , like sockets and electricity.”

While Daisy Osborne was surprised by all the fire risks in an average house. She also learned how important it was not to use a metal implement to take bread out of a toaster.