A music teacher at a Romsey school has been treating pupils to socially distanced music lessons last week.

Since the start of lockdown, children at Romsey Abbey C of E Primary School, Church Lane, have had their music lessons through a video link.

Now, in a bid to stop the spread of coronavirus, pupils have been playing instruments outside last week with their teacher, Marion Maxey.

Mrs Maxey said: “Pupils in all our class bubbles have had outside music lessons last week.

"The children have had great fun playing rhythmic games, body percussion, moving to music, making up their own songs and finding the spaces they best love in the school’s wonderful grounds and have enjoyed making music together.

“It’s been so lovely to be able to be with all the children, they are all so good at keeping the required two metre distance from myself.

"They have come up with wonderful musical ideas and it’s so good for them all to have the chance to express themselves in this way."

She added: "I am so lucky to have been able to do this with so many children; we are very blessed to have such wonderful outside space and, of course, a large enough inside space which has enabled all, but a few of our pupils, to come back to school for these last few weeks.

"I am very grateful to our headteacher Julie-Anne Palfrey for all the wonderful support she has given to music and the performing arts in school over the past years, which is such an important part of the children’s whole education.”

Ms Julie-Anne Palfrey said: “It was so lovely to hear live music in our school again and so luckily the weather allowed lessons to be outdoors.

"In normal times the whole school would be in the hall singing and making music together so to be able to hold our music lessons outdoors has been a real bonus.”

She added: “We are busy getting ready for the autumn term and are thrilled to be welcoming new children in the reception class and in other years to school in September.

"We do still have a few places in all year groups so we are hoping that anyone moving to the area will contact us for more information and to arrange a socially distanced outdoor visit as we would love to show them our wonderful school.”

The music lessons happened on Monday, July 6 and Tuesday, July 7.