Pupils at a Cumbrian primary school have been given the chance to name four rare hen harrier chicks.

Youngsters at Brampton Primary School near Carlisle were asked by the reserve team to draw a picture of the birds and come up with names for each of the four fledglings.

Competition winner Emily Graham, a Year 3 pupil at the school, has chosen to call the hen harrier chicks Indiana, Twilight, Wilbur and Turbo.

As part of her prize, Emily and five guests will get to spend an evening at RSPB Haweswater’s Badger Hide to watch the local woodland residents emerge for their nightly foraging escapades.

As well as taking part in the naming competition, the children at Brampton Primary have been learning all about these iconic upland birds in the classroom.

The chicks have now been ringed and satellite tagged, so conservationists and the school children can monitor their progress.

For the children of Brampton, being able to watch these rare and beautiful birds grow up and raise young of their own will be an experience they will never forget.

Richard Clark, Head Teacher at Brampton Primary School, said: “Being involved in the competition to name such great birds was a fantastic opportunity for our children.

"We live in an outstanding area of natural beauty full of amazing wildlife and anything that highlights that is a real positive.

"It was really difficult to choose a winner from the fantastic entries, with so many brilliant pictures and interesting names for the chicks.

"Hopefully, when tagged, we will get the opportunity to follow the chicks through their travels.”

Hen harriers were once found breeding across upland and lowland Britain, including Cumbria. In the 1830’s, hen harriers were almost extinct in England due to raptor persecution, which was finally made illegal in 1954.

To help ensure the chicks grow, a method is being used; where fresh food is supplied near to the nest.