A BOAT created to educate children about traveller culture docked at a Bury school.

Children at Springside Primary School welcomed home the boat, named Lollipop, which was created by pupils a number of years ago.

Lollipop was crafted by former pupils at the school in Springside Road as a project studying the history of travellers.

Since then, each year throughout the month of June, Lollipop has travelled the borough visiting schools as part of the celebration of Traveller History Month.

The Traveller Education service team and children's librarian, Jean Swanson, from Bury Library Service, use Lollipop as a resource for telling stories about travellers and their way of life.

The project also includes the history of the canals and barges and each session covers areas from the national curriculum.

Fairgrounds, circuses and horse festivals are also celebrated.

Headteacher Gill Thornicroft said: “We have lots of traveller families in school and I’m now too learning about their culture.

“Lollipop is a great way to raise awareness with the other children about the travelling way of life.

“The boat has retired now and will be kept on display in school.

“We need to make a new Lollipop but whether that will be another boat or not we will have to see.”