PRIMARY school pupils were given a lesson in hygiene by staff at Ridgeway Hospital in Wroughton.

Around 150 year three and four pupils from Wroughton Junior School were taught the importance of washing germs off their hands when staff visited the school in Inverary Road.

Germs can be passed from person to person in a variety of different ways; from touching dirty hands, contaminated water and food, through droplets released during a cough or a sneeze and via contaminated surfaces.

The event aimed to teach youngsters how to protect themselves from potential illness by keeping up standards of hygiene.

The seven and eight-year-olds took a handwashing test using a gel which mimicked germs.

Each child spread the gel on their hands before washing using soap and water.

They then put their hands under a ultraviolet ‘glow box’ which highlighted what remained.

“The glow box illuminated the gelled areas of their hands that were not thoroughly cleaned,” said Amy Lawrence, of Ridgeway Hospital.

“The children were then taught how to clean their hands properly by an infection control nurse.”

Every youngster who took part was awarded with Clean Team goodies including wrist bands reminding them to regularly wash their hands.