YOUNGSTERS at a Devizes infants school are used to weird and wonderful things happening when they arrive for lessons but even they were taken aback when they were told there had been an alien landing.

Headteacher Caroline Jackson, who last term greeted children at the gates of Southbroom Infants dressed as a superhero, shocked her pupils by telling them on Tuesday that a spacecraft had crash landed on the field.

She said: "The children were incredibly excited when they were met by people in white coats and goggles warning them there had been an alien landing and they must stay away from the wreckage on the school field. There was smoke coming from it

"I later found a cannister containing green smoke which I opened in front of the children. All of this has really inspired the children to find out more about space and we have chosen that as our topic for this year."

The scene was set on Monday when Devizes School lab technicians got in on the act and visited the infant school to tell children they were investigating bright lights in the sky over the school.