AN era long, long ago was relived at Shipdham when a stone age man visited schoolchildren.His visit was the culmination of the year's activities for Thomas Bullock Primary School's museum club, which has been running throughout the year in various year groups.

AN era long, long ago was relived at Shipdham when a stone age man visited schoolchildren.

His visit was the culmination of the year's activities for Thomas Bullock Primary School's museum club, which has been running throughout the year in various year groups.

Pupils have looked at fossils, including woolly mammoths and their “relatives” such as the West Runton elephant.

Also, they have made masks of early man, learned about stone age man's food and clothes at Norwich Castle Museum - and finally they got to meet him!

Stone Age Man, known better to his friends as John Lord, visited from Norfolk Museums and Archaeology Service's museum club association, taking with him a collection of flint and bone implements - including weapons and tools - and clothes made from hide and fur, some of which he was wearing.

In his shelter beneath the trees he demonstrated how to knap flint knives and spear- heads using only antlers and other flints as his tools.

With enthusiastic help from pupils he showed how fire could be created using only wood and a borer, rotated by a tightly strung bow until the tinder was sparked.

He showed how the spear was made and how to throw it in order to hunt your woolly mammoth.

School head David Saunders said: “This was an absolutely splendid afternoon which the children will remember for years to come.

“It has brought history alive in a way which will stimulate our imaginations in ways which nothing else could.”