NEW PUPILS at a Totton school have got off to a flying start with the help of local MP Julian Lewis.

The New Forest MP was on hand at Testwood School to take questions posed by the 30 children attending the school's Flying Start summer course.

The two-week course, in its second year, aims to give the pupils as much help as possible with reading, writing, spelling and computer skills in advance of the new term and sees parents, governors and Year 11 prefects acting as volunteer reading partners.

Dr Lewis said: "It's an excellent scheme and it's encouraging that the children are willing to give up their holiday time.

"They really are self-motivators," he added. Course co-organiser and English teacher Liz Hansford said: "The course gives them a bit of a boost. "After last year's course, none of the children were to be found in the bottom sets.

"Local businesses have been wonderful, supplying prizes at very short notice."

Also dropping in at the school's Testwood Lane site during the next fortnight will be Hampshire opening bowler Alec Morris and local author Michael Coleman, who will be talking about his writing with emphasis on Wierdo's War, the book to be read during the course.

Converted for the new archive on 25 January 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.