A group of schoolchildren had a close encounter with a flying fish yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon! They were watching a heron with a fish in its beak take off from their playing field at Samuel Lucas School in Hitchin when the startled bird dropped its l

A group of schoolchildren had a close encounter with a flying fish yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon!

They were watching a heron with a fish in its beak take off from their playing field at Samuel Lucas School in Hitchin when the startled bird dropped its lunch.

Alarmed by the children circling what they thought was a dead fish, the heron made several low swoops over the field hoping to snatch back its meal.

But what looked a lifeless and battered Koi carp suddenly gasped back to life.

The fish was quickly taken into the school's science room and dropped into a glass tank filled with the school's pond water.

"The children were on the field with their cameras as part of an art lesson when they told the classroom assistant they had seen a pelican," said teacher John Rogan.

"When she looked she saw it was a heron with a fish in its mouth. When it took off it obviously got frightened with 30 children running towards it and dropped the fish.

"We thought it was dead but it flapped back to life and is now resting in a tank we normally use for science. It has obviously come from someone's pond so if anyone has lost a fish they should contact the school, otherwise we are going to give it away."

Samuel Lucas School's number is 01462 456737.