Children in Southampton will enjoy new opportunities to learn outside, thanks to three themed sessions launched by the city’s Royal Victoria Country Park.

Pupils from Hamble Primary School were among the first to try out one of the activities - the Seashore Adventure. It includes a two-hour “safari” led by a ranger in which children discover what animals live along the shoreline.

There is also a new self-led History Detectives trail investigating the story of the park, which was originally farmed by Cistercian monks and, during Queen Victoria’s reign, was home to a 138-ward military hospital. The topics include secret service missions, Florence Nightingale and map-reading.

The activities are linked to the national curriculum and help children learn about history, science and geography. HW.