A VILLAGE school has been inundated with eager parents wanting to sign up their toddlers to a new community venture.

Hartlebury CE Primary School has opened weekly forest school sessions for pre-school youngsters to have outdoor fun with their mums and dads.

Led by experienced and Forest School-trained staff, activities include imaginative play in the mud kitchen and tent, fishing in the pond and clambering around the tractor tyres.

Caroline Unitt, executive headteacher of Hartlebury CE Primary School, has spoken of the new venture following years of restrictions.

She said: “After two years of restrictions and not being able to welcome people into our school and beautiful grounds, we are keen to bring the community back.

“When we first advertised the parent and toddler forest school, we thought around eight would be a good number and so we were stunned when more than 50 parents wanted to sign up. We have capacity for 11 children and their parents – so we have a very long waiting list.

She added: “It was a drizzly day for the first session, but they all turned up and didn’t seem to mind getting a little wet. Of course, children don’t mind – the muddier the better as far as they are concerned.”