Children in Bradford were learning about the three Rs at the weekend - rapping, rhythm and rhyme.

A group of 14 youngsters, who had won a competition to write their own rap lyrics about fireworks safety awareness, had a lesson from a couple of professionals and were given the chance to record their efforts.

The winners, who were aged between eight and 14, were at Bradford's Manningham Mills on Saturday morning, turning the words into music.

And with the help of Pipleline Productions the children learnt about syllables and rhyme and put their words to a hip hop beat.

To coincide with last year's Bonfire Night, Bradford's SAFE Project launched a competition to pen a rap about the dangers of fireworks.

Pipeline Production's Philip Charles, who was leading the session, has been involved in rap workshops with community groups for about five years.

He said: "Learning through music is a really good way of relating ideas to children, and a gives them a chance to express themselves."

"Usually in a classroom the teacher has all the power, but with rap music in particular, kids are already immersed in the culture and so they bring there own sense of power to the class room."

Mr Charles and co-rapper Marcus Lee also work with adult groups and community groups as well as children. He said: "We have worked with a number of subjects, every time with a positive message."

Shazia Begum, 12, who goes to Belle Vue Girls' school, was one of the winners. "My rap was about being careful when you play with fireworks," she said.

But by putting the words to music, it's easier to remember the message."

Aneesah Ali, 11, also a winner from Belle Vue Girls, said: "We're learning how to rap. We've learnt about rhymes and the amount of syllables you put in a line: between nine and 14. It's been really good."

Elizabeth Hellmich, who founded Bradford's SAFE Project, said the group worked together and wrote a rap about friends, then in the afternoon they wrote about fireworks.

She said: "I worked with Pipeline Productions before with some out-of-reach children, and the effect they had on them was amazing.

"These children had not even been able to sit through an English lesson, but at the end of the session they were enjoying it so much they didn't want to leave."