Dorothy C. Maguire, of Arnside, recalls how a Sparrowhawk became the subject of a school lesson in the 1960s.

DURING the past weeks the decorators have been painting the outside of our property. This necessitated my lounge patio door to be left wide open.

I have recently too had a family of sparrows outside which have given me a great deal of pleasure.

But imagine my horror when a sparrowhawk flew straight in through the doors and went behind the easy chair!

After contacting a neighbour it was persuaded to return outside.

My previous experience of a sparrowhawk was nearly 50 years ago when teaching the junior class at Underbarrow School.

Our classroom looked out onto the playground, always a distraction to the children.

But this time they were watching a sparrowhawk hovering above.

Suddenly it swooped down onto a blackbird, for several minutes the children were spellbound watching the manoeuvres of the blackbird trying to escape; but escape it did, to much cheering from the class.

To turn this incident into an English lesson they all wrote about this thrilling event.

The best account was then chosen by the vicar and was sent to The Westmorland Gazette to be printed a few weeks later.

Quite an achievement for the child concerned.