Children's TV presenter Gemma Hunt visited the Wiltshire Scrapstore and Resource Centre in Lacock to run pirate-themed workshops and activities for children.

The environmental, community and children’s charity invited the Trowbridge-born former John of Gaunt School pupil, who is the star of CBeebies show Swashbuckle, for a morning of storytelling, games, singing and dancing.

Children also had the chance to create pirate masterpieces during the workshops held on September 13, including pirate hats, eye patches, parrots, pirate ships and even a wooden leg.

Wiltshire Scrapstore supports schools, community groups and families throughout the county by supplying materials, ideas and inspiration for creativity and play. All materials in the main warehouse are collected from local business and saved from being sent to landfill.

Miss Hunt, who will be in the Peter Pan panto at the Assembly Hall Theatre in Tunbridge Wells at Christmas, said: “I had a great time at the Scrapstore, the staff had put a lot of thought and effort into the pirate decor, activities and gifts for sale and I was really impressed.

“It’s amazing what you can do with a bit of hard work, passion and great scrap resources. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and game sessions that I ran with the children.

“I read pirate stories and played a pirate version of musical statues and ‘Gem says’ – as there were no ‘Simons’ around. The children were so well behaved.”

Miss Hunt also visited a party at the scrapstore organised by Trowbridge mum Jo Squires to celebrate the third birthday of her triplets Owen, Jacob and Abigail.

Mrs Squires, of Salter Close, who also has an older daughter Eleanor, six, with her husband, said: “It was an amazing birthday party and the children were delighted to be able to meet Gemma.

“The children were all shocked when she came in and when she asked if they knew who she was, Owen said ‘you are off my telly’.

"It was better than we expected as we weren’t sure if she would have time to visit us, but she was brilliant.”