By ROBERT GIBSON

Last updated at 13:11, Friday, 05 February 2010

CONCERNED parents were among the many objectors to the Prudhoe fire station plans, but eight-year-old Reuben Biju decided to take matters into his own hands.

In protest: Pupil Reuben Biju (8), with his letter objecting to plans to build a fire station near Prudhoe West First School.

Determined to make his voice heard, the year three pupil at Prudhoe West First School penned a letter to headteacher Alan Keenleyside, calling for urgent action.

“I hope you know about the fire station,” he wrote.

“I don’t like it to be on the field because I play there with my next door neighbour with their dog and it will be noisy and really busy.

“It will be bad because I got twins [brothers]. They would be crying because of the noise.

“Try and stop them from building the fire station please.”

To reinforce his message, Reuben added a picture of democracy in action: “No” says a young boy to a fireman, who replies simply, “OK”.

Sadly, having been left on Mr Keenleyside’s desk on Tuesday afternoon, Reuben’s complaint was not discovered until the following morning – too late to hold sway at County Hall.

But the young objector can at least be assured his school is always listening.

“We’re very proud of the initiative Reuben has shown,” said deputy headteacher Carrie Hodgson.

“It’s part of the ethos of the school that we try to develop pupils’ citizenship.

“The children know that their views do matter to us and that they are taken very seriously.”

First published at 09:40, Friday, 05 February 2010
Published by http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk