CHILDREN in Blackbird Leys were given a Nativity play to remember when camels walked around the estate.

The Blackbird Leys Academy Trust brought the estate’s three primary schools, Orchard Meadow, Pegasus and Windale, together in a Living Nativity.

For the first time the play featured all 1,200 pupils from the three schools as well as live camels, sheep and a donkey.

They made their way around Blackbird Leys Park in the centre of the estate on Wednesday evening.

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Trust spokeswoman Ellie Danby said: “We wanted to do something really special that wasn’t all about presents and toys and stuff, but going back to really traditional things – we wanted to create a bit of Christmas magic.”

Hundreds of people turned out to watch the play, which saw children from Windale Primary School begin the story of Mary and Joseph setting off to Bethlehem on a donkey.

When the story reached the shepherds watching their flocks, children from Orchard Meadow joined in with their sheep.

Then Pegasus Primary School joined in alongside the camels for the final section of the story.

Family learning team member Rachel Walding was one of the staff members acting as a wise man on a camel.

She said: “It was a surreal experience riding a camel around the park, but you were high up so you had a great view of the parade.

“It was slightly scary when they moved, they sway a lot, but it was fantastic.

“We collected up their poo afterwards and spread it on the school allotments.”

Orchard Meadow teacher Chris Currie led the choir in the parade playing a French horn.

He said: “We wanted an experience that would be memorable for the children and engage the whole community.

“It was a definite success, the children loved it. They loved the camels and the animals.

“You could see it on their faces that they were in love with it and really engaging with it.

“I had lots of comments the next day at school about how exciting it was. To give them that brilliant experience is really expanding their horizons.”

The academy trust hired the animals from a Warwickshire firm.

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