PUPILS from three Stourbridge schools have been stepping back in time as part of a Heritage Lottery funded project at two Glass Quarter tourist attractions.

Children from Ashwood Park, Ridge Primary and St James Primary, Amblecote School have been taking part in the two-week National Heritage Lottery Young Roots project co-ordinated by the Glasshouse College and Red House Glass Cone which has given them a taste of life during glass-making's heyday 100 years ago.

On Tuesday (June 24) youngsters watched modern-day glassmakers at the Glasshouse College and enjoyed role play sessions with Black Country theatre group The Fizzogs before taking a narrowboat trip to Wordsley's Red House Glass Cone.

They then had a tour of the Camp Hill site and climbed aboard two open-topped horse drawn carriages before returning to the Glasshouse which was awarded £25,600 National Heritage Lottery cash to run the project.

Students at the college based in Wollaston Road, Amblecote, have also been working with the horses and on the canal-boat as part of the project, which runs until tomorrow (Friday June 27).

Glasshouse College principal Paul Gawdan said the youngsters opted to work with nearby schools as they wanted to share their learning experience with the community.

He added: "This was a unique opportunity that our students made possible, with the support of the HLF, for others to learn about the historical links between the canals and the glass industry as well as experiencing how hard life was in both industries."

Hilary Bills, Dudley's cabinet member for leisure and culture, described the project as a "fantastic" and added: "I’d like to thank the Glasshouse College for including the Red House Glass in this lottery funded project.”