A Royal Navy Merlin helicopter touched down on Polwhele School this term to give pupils an insight into some of the roles played by today's naval air services.

The Merlin HM Mk2 maritime helicopter landed on the school playground so pupils could explore the vehicle, and understand some of the roles the crew carry out.

The helicopter is based at RNAS Culdrose and its primary role is in anti submarine warfare - responsible for protecting the nuclear deterrent and the Queen Elizabeth carriers as well as maritime counter terrorism.

Commanding Officer of 814 Naval Air Squadron, Commander Brendan Spoors, organised the visit to show children the many opportunities within the Royal Navy and to educate them on the important roles it has within defence.

He said: “We enjoy arranging landings and school visits, tying in a local and wider campaign to share our opportunities and roles. It is also a great chance to engage with the local community in Cornwall – we were happy to help.”

Polwhele House headmaster Alex McCullough said: “It is important that our pupils get the chance to learn about the role of community services so they can be recognised and appreciated. We are immensely grateful to Commander Spoors and his team of pilots and engineers for taking time out of their busy schedule to give us insight into their work.”