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Pupils from a Pontypridd special needs school got to experience a day as a British Transport Police (BTP) officer as part of a special project.

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Officers from the Pontypridd Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT), in conjunction with the charities Viva! and Crossroads, organised the event for pupils from Ty Coch special needs school in Trefforest.

During the course of the day, the group ^ all of which were aged between 16 and 19 ^ were shown how an operational police response car functions and were given the opportunity to sit in the vehicle and operate the siren and lights.

They then enjoyed a train journey to Cardiff Bay, courtesy of Arriva Trains Wales, where they met Minister for Social Justice and Local Government Carl Sargeant at the Senedd.

The event ^ which was held over two days for two separate groups of pupils - was organised by Welsh Government-funded Community Safety Officers (CSOs) Liam Perry and Matthew Dando, who devised a rail safety presentation that can be tailored to all learning needs and abilities.

Sergeant Jaci Thomas, who leads the NPT in Pontypridd, said: ^The event has been a fantastic success. It was so rewarding to see the pupils^ confidence grow as the day went on. It was really important for us to show that behind the uniform there^s a normal, friendly person. Hopefully, as a result of spending the day with us, it will empower the pupils to approach uniformed officers for help and assistance, in the process breaking down barriers.

^Education was at the heart of the day. During the morning, the group took part in an interactive rail safety presentation then, at Trefforest station, we were able to provide practical advice on rail travel, from how to stay safe on a platform to buying a ticket and pre-arranging for disabled requirements. This was the first such project undertaken by the Welsh Government-funded CSOs and stemmed from the excellent relationship they^ve built by with the Viva! project.^

Chris Myhill, a post-16 SEN teacher at Ty Coch, said the pupils had gained a huge amount from the event. ^This has been such a beneficial experience for them,^ he said. ^They^ve got previous experience of different modes of transport, especially buses, but haven^t had much opportunity until now to use trains and learn about using the rail network.

^Despite being slightly wary of the BTP officers at first, it didn^t take long to break down barriers and realise they were ^real^ people, and for them to feel comfortable in their presence. It was fantastic to see the level of interaction between pupils and officers.

^With the post-16 group, we work on real life situations and gaining real life experience, helping to build confidence and self-esteem. It^s fine being at the school all day, but you can^t beat getting out there and seeing it for yourself. It is through these authentic learning experiences pupils gain the most. It^s been a really positive experience for the group.^

Minister for Social Justice and Local Government Carl Sargeant said: "I welcome this initiative by British Transport Police and the charities Viva! and Crossroads, and I commend Pontypridd-based CSOs Liam Perry and Matthew Dando for taking this idea forward. It provides much needed practical advice on transport safety and also helps CSOs build good relationships with local children, their families and the wider community.

"Our funding of an additional 500 Community Support Officers in Wales, 18 of which have bolstered British Transport Police numbers, is clearly making a real difference to communities across Wales. CSOs are now often visible on our streets and are working directly with communities to improve public safety. We can clearly see the benefits of our investment - both to British Transport Police and to individuals such as the pupils from Ty Coch I met at the Senedd."

Geraint Morgan, community affairs manager for Arriva Trains Wales, said: ^Accessibility to public transport is an important issue and the trip gave us the opportunity to understand some of the challenges faced by people with a disability and who may find public transport difficult to use. We hope the experience will give the pupils the confidence to travel again in the future.^

The scheme was run as a pilot in association with a living skills programme offering guidance and advice on everything from eating well to sexual health. Plans are already in place to roll the project out to all disabled schools in Rhondda Cynon Taff.