Local primary school children were given a history lesson with a difference at Portsmouth College.
The year five and six pupils took part in a gun run with Blues stars Jason Pearce, Joel Ward, Ryan Williams and Sam Magri.
The players helped the children assemble and then race the field guns – scale replicas of the ones used by the Royal Navy – that were specially built at Portsmouth’s dockyard.
It was all part of Pompey Sports & Education Foundation’s drive to use the club to help engage children.
The ‘Get on Board’ scheme runs over six weeks with practical sessions accompanying lessons in the classroom.
Each of the weeks will cover a specific theme with teamwork, healthy lifestyles, conflict resolution and respect, history of football, clothing and the Tudors all being covered.
At the end of the scheme the pupils will be given vouchers for them and their family to visit the Mary Rose Museum, Southsea Castle, D-Day Museum or City Museum.
Director of community projects Clare Martin said: “It was great for the children to get to meet some of their heroes. It’s also fantastic to be able to use the hook of Pompey to get children interested in history."