PUPILS at a special school in Woolston have welcomed in a foxy new mascot.

Fox Wood School on Holes Lane has greeted a new fox puppet who will take part in assemblies and classes with pupils, who have a range of special educational needs.

The cute cub mascot has been donated by Woolston resident Emma Moran whose four-year-old twin daughters Mia and Lucy, who have cerebral palsy, are reception pupils at Fox Wood.

Emma said: "Obviously all the children have different special needs and I just thought it would be a good idea to get a puppet who can take part in assemblies and class activities just to give them something to visualise and interact with.

"When we took it in the kids absolutely loved it.

"For some of the children just to get them to say goodbye or wave is an achievement, but because it was the fox they were really made up with him."

Pupils at the school will now take part in a competition to name the fox, who was made by Emma's puppeteer friend Carl Chad.

Emma added: "It's taken a few weeks of work as he had to get the fur from America and source other things as well as get him made.

"He's done a brilliant job with him.

"I was a bit apprehensive when the girls first joined the school but they have been brilliant.

"The girls' teacher has been amazing with them and I never thought they would settle in as well as they have - I'm absolutely gobsmacked as I never thought that would happen in a million years.

"It's just a brilliant school - it's so friendly and welcoming."