A DASTARDLY crew of young pirates have been sailing the high seas, visiting distant lands and digging for buried treasure this week.

As part of a pirate adventure summer session, led by St Aldate's Church in Oxford, children donned eye patches and peg legs to take part in songs, games and crafts.

The summer school started on Tuesday, with the mini pirates enjoying a picnic and games at Christchurch Meadows.

This was followed by a home cinema day on Wednesday and a trip aboard a Salter's Steamer on the Thames on Thursday.

Yesterday the crew took on a new hobby and went ice skating, and today they bought along their families for games and food at Cutteslowe Park.

One crew member Will Turner, 10 – though not the the same Will Turner as played by Orlando Bloom in the hit film Pirates of the Caribbean – said: "I think it's fun to be a pirate. I was looking forward to a good day on the boat."

Friend and fellow pirate Jemimah Cunningham, 10, added: "I like being a pirate, you get to do lots of interesting things".

And tomorrow, to mark the end of a special week, the pirates will return to St Aldates Church for a family service.

Family members are invited to meet the crew, hear the sea shanties and share the fun.