THE BRAVE pupils and staff who did Bridgwater proud during the recent London terror attack have been presented with a special award recognising their courage.

A total of 52 pupils and seven teachers from St John and St Francis Church School in Bridgwater were on a tour of the Houses of Parliament when a terrorist mowed down dozens of people on Westminster Bridge on Wednesday, March 22.

The pupils, who had just watched parliamentary speeches, were heading back to the central chamber when the attack unfolded, and they were kept in the chamber by the security services.

The Houses of Parliament were put into lockdown as they events transpired, and the children gained national attention after news spread that they had been singing songs to keep spirits high during the event. They did not return home until 11pm that evening.

On Thursday, April 20, PCC Sue Mountstevens visited the school as part of her Community Day, and presented the children and staff with a PCC Pride Award.

Ms Mountstevens told the children they had all shown great courage, and head teacher Lisa Farley read out a letter from the Prime Minister Theresa May praising the children's calm reaction.

"Their attitude positively reflects on their teachers, their school and their parents," Ms Mountstevens said.

Their story appeared in many of the national newspapers and was picked up by many of biggest broadcasters including Sky News and the BBC.

Headteacher Lisa Farley said: "The dedication and professionalism of the staff at St John and St Francis shone through as these tragic events unfolded.

“The children have demonstrated their maturity, emotional intelligence and bravery which makes us all very proud.

“They even sang in the central lobby at Parliament, which brought a sense of peace and comfort to everyone around them. "I feel privileged to be the headteacher of this wonderful school."

It was a busy day in Bridgwater for PCC Mountstevens, who also visited the Hinkley Point team before hosting a drop-in at Angel Place, finishing the day with a trip to the 999 Academy to see a lesson being run by the Fire Service at Bridgwater Fire Station.