A police force has been criticised by parents after inviting school pupils to an open day in which they brandished replica guns and were encouraged to 'shoot terrorist' targets on a mock firing range.

The children, who were seven-years-old, were invited to the West Midlands Police firearms training facility in Aston, to learn more about how officers protect the public from terror attacks.

But some of the parents expressed horror after the Year Three pupils were pictured laughing while holding replica weapons including pistols and machine guns.

They were then told to set their sights on a terrorist targets and pretend to open fire on them.

The trip was organised West Midlands Police after pupil from the Kings Norton Primary School in Birmingham sent letters of support to officers, thanking them for keeping them safe in the wake of the Manchester and London terror attacks.