CHILDREN got their hands muddy exploring the ‘hidden world’ of pond life.

Around 58 children and parents attended the pond-dipping day at Epping Forest Field Centre on Tuesday, April 12.

Park staff were on hand to show the children how to safely explore pond life and encourage a greater awareness of nature and the environment.

Park tutor Sarah Etherington, 26, said: “We found a Great Diving Beetle and a 12 inch carp, both of which you don’t find every day. Whenever we found a creature the kids all went ‘wow’. It was a lot of fun.

“Everyone got involved and nobody fell in, which was great. It is all about getting people outside with their families and engaging them with their environment.

“People often aren’t as willing to explore ponds as they are, say, to roll over a log and look at what is underneath. We want to get children excited about the hidden world of pond life.”