WEST Buckland Primary School has re-created the evacuation process that many children faced at the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939.

Pupils, staff and parents dressed in period costume, and gathered in the school playground at the start of the day to await the arrival of buses that would take them to Bishops Lydeard train station.

The children then boarded the West Somerset Railway steam train to Minehead, where they were greeted on the station platform by members of the WI.

The WI went through the billeting process and allocated the children to local families.

Following a short walk to the park the children ate a 1940s-style lunch that had travelled on the train in suitcases and gas mask boxes.

The evacuees also found time to visit the beach and play games that would have been popular at the time.

The children thoroughly enjoyed themselves – “the most exciting day of my life so far!” said Saxon; “an excellent experience, it took me back in time,” said Ellie; and “it felt really realistic,” said Robyn.

On their return to school some children wrote evacuation letters to their parents based on their experiences.