DARLINGTON Fire Brigade paid a visit to youngsters at the Hurworth Panda Pre-school group, at Hurworth Grange Community Centre, which opened this week.

The pre-school group is doing a project on firefighters, so the brigade took an engine along for the children to see.

More than 20 youngsters aged between two and four got to sit in the engine and have their photograph taken.

Sonia Dockray, pre-school principal leader, said: "They put the sirens on, the children had a go with the hose pipe and pressed the buttons."

Next term the youngsters will meet a policeman and an ambulance crew.