PUPILS at a Ribble Valley preparatory school spent the day clowning around during the European Day of Languages.

Youngsters aged three to seven at St Mary's Hall, Stonyhurst, called on the help of finger puppets Otto and Anna to help them take part in the Europe-wide event that celebrates different languages.

"This is a young age to learn a second language in this country, although not on the continent," said St Mary's Hall headmaster Michael Higgins.

"We are lucky to have Gabi Warrilow, who is from Germany, teaching at the school and she volunteered to teach the youngsters her native language.

"However, at their age, they are often self-conscious about speaking to their peers in a foreign language, so Gabi designed the finger puppets. On this occasion, we didn't mind the children clowning around, as long as they spoke in German!"

The German lesson was just one of the activities held at the school as part of the annual event, promoted by the Council of Europe.

Boarders awoke to a French breakfast and the nursery class -- three to four-year-olds -- made pizzas.