‘WHERE’S the Gruffalo?’ was the question on everybody’s lips when Bridgerule C of E (VC) Primary School visited Bridge Mill in Bridgerule.

On Tuesday, July 16, Rosie and Alan Beat, along with their daughter Katie and her husband Steve, played hosts at the Bridge Mill to Mrs Joyce Pankhurst and Class 1.

Inspired by Julia Donaldson and lead by Katie and her ‘mouse’, the pupils walked through the meadows in search of ‘the fox’, ‘the owl’ and ‘the snake’ before eventually finding ‘the Gruffalo’ hiding, unsuccessfully, in the woods.

Alan then took the pupils into the mill and explained how the miller would grind wheat to make flour, for baking into bread. He then took them to see the working water wheel.

Bridge Mill is open to the public several times a year, for ‘Open Mill Days’ and ‘Ope Gardens’ events. In 2017 a plaque was presented to Rosie and Alan from the mills section of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings in recognition of good practise in mill conservation and repair.