THESE pictures were taken as the pupils of St Monica Primary School celebrated May Day with a fiesta of fun.

The youngsters sang, danced, waved hankies and rang bells as they enjoyed the ancient spring festival.

The origins of May Day celebrations date back to the Roman Republic –between 509BC and 27BC – with the Floralia.

Traditionally, the event was held in honour of Flora, the Roman goddess of flowers.

During the festival, hares and goats were released and crowds were pelted with beans and legumes.

Worshippers would perform a ritual called the Florifertum in which bundles of wheat ears were carried into a shrine.