There was great eggcitement for children at a St Albans primary school when they arrived on a Monday morning to find a giant egg sitting on a nest in the porch.

Speculation was rife that the egg at Maple JMI housed a dragon or a phoenix and its arrival prompted a week of egg-based activities including creative writing about the discovery, a demonstration of which animals and birds come from eggs and a design and technology challenge.

The fire brigade turned up to move the egg indoors and the children also enjoyed an Egg Factor event.

The day before the school broke up, the children arrived to find coloured feathers sprinkled around the playground leading to speculation that the egg had hatched.

Year Six teacher Lindsey Noble said that the discovery of the feathers had evoked the biggest reaction from the children because they thought it had hatched and were fascinated about what it had given birth too.

“Everyone has had an idea about what popped out the egg,” she said.

She added: “When I contacted the fire brigade they said they were more than willing to do it. They were fantastic.”