NUMBER-crunching youngsters visited a new fire station as part of a drive to improve their maths skills.

The 34 pupils, aged 11, are attending a two-week numeracy summer school at Wellfield School, Wingate.

They visited the fire station, built on Peterlee's South West Industrial estate by developers Modus Properties, who are revamping the town centre.

The youngsters used the visit to analyse data on the impact that hoax calls have on the work of the County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Brigade.

The brigade warned them that making false calls could divert fire engines from real emergencies where people's lives could be at risk.

The school's maths faculty director, Diane Marshall, said: "This was an excellent opportunity for pupils to develop the mathematical skills used in the workplace while at the same time taking on board some important issues from County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Brigade."