THE sound of Africa came to a Darlington school yesterday.

African drummers Robert Maseko and Otis Tabaseng taught pupils at Alderman Leach the basics of drumming.

The lessons - which ended with an afternoon concert - was part of the school's International Week.

Mr Maseko, whose company visits schools across the country, said: "The pupils have been fantastic, that's why the concert should be so good."

Each class at Alderman Leach learnt about a different country as part of International Week. The foundation classes learnt about China, year one and two studied Brazil and Mexico, year five and some of year six studied Africa, and the rest of year six learnt about Japan and Korea.

Years three and four learnt about the US, and exchanged emails with their counterparts in Loveland, Colorado. The link was forged after Alderman Leach teacher Anne Marie Ainsley met a teacher from Loveland on holiday.

Mrs Ainsley said: "We just want to widen our children's cultural horizons.

"We want to let them know there are other places, and let them learn how people there live."