THERE was something rather scary in a classroom at this school.

Any burglar who broke in during the night or any unsuspecting visitor could expect the shock of his – or her – life.

Six- and seven-year-olds at New Marston First School in Copse Lane, Oxford, had been studying dinosaurs.

And to bring the six-week project alive, they had made models of the fearsome creatures.

The one pictured here in 1985 took pride of place in their collection.

It was a 12ft long, 4ft high model of the plant-eating Diplodocus – made from a table, cardboard boxes, paper, paint and string.

Class Three’s teacher Michael Appleby said: “We made the Diplodocus because it was the largest living dinosaur that we know of. They grew to 27 metres long.

“This is one of the best-loved projects we do in the school. It always seems to grab their imagination.”

The children also made a life-size collage of the head of a Tyrannosaurus Rex, the largest meat-eating dinosaur.

Pictured showing off the Diplodocus above are, left to right, Robert Hastings, six, Clair-Louise Southall, six, Sarah Herbert, seven, Debbie Scully, seven, Andrew Winchester, seven, and Melanie Honey, six.