JUNIOR schoolchildren turned the tables on a Gazette reporter this week by bombarding him with questions about his career and what it's like to be a journalist.
Around 90 enthusiastic youngsters at Ingatestone and Fryerning Junior School gave this newspaper's news editor Chris Richards a grilling on Wednesday morning as part of a project on journalism.
Mr Richards had earlier given the children – aged between 9 and 11 – a brief talk about exactly how newspapers work and what skills you require to be a successful reporter.
Among the questions asked were: "What's the best story you've ever had? Have you ever been taken to court by someone who didn't like a story you have written? And are you proud to be a journalist?"
One plucky youngster even inquired how much he was paid, while another asked for the name of his horse (for the record, it is Steff).
Upper school leader Leigh Johnson said afterwards: "Chris kept them completely engaged and entertained.
"It was an inspirational activity for the children and it helped to reinforce everything that they have learned about journalism so far."
Teacher Elizabeth Frith added: "The children listened to Chris better than they have done to anybody else that has come in."
Pupil Annabel Denton, ten, said: "I enjoyed the talk.
"I learnt lots of things like how to become a journalist and what it is like to be a journalist."
George Mayhew, 10, said: "I think journalism is interesting and I would like to be a journalist one day."
Nancy Eagle, also 10, added: "I really enjoyed finding out what you have to do to be a journalist and one day I would really like to be a journalist too."
Mr Richards, 30, a journalist since June 2008, said: "I was very impressed with the questions that I was asked.
"The children are clearly a very bright bunch and they seemed to enjoy learning about what goes on behind the scenes of the Gazette."
He added: "Who knows, perhaps some of them will be future stars of journalism."
