Five top tips for family fun this half term

At Winchester City Mill...

VISITORS to Winchester City Mill this half term will be going quackers.

One stormy night in 1992, thousands of little plastic yellow bath-tub ducks were washed overboard from a cargo ship and into the Pacific Ocean.

Now, ten of them have reached the Mill, along the River Itchen.

Kids can take on the role of newspaper reporter to track down the ducks and hear their exciting story.

There are prizes for all reporters who successfully complete the challenge at the May half term duck trail which runs from Saturday to Sunday June 4.

There's also a chance to sign up to sponsor a bath-tub racing duck for the big River Itchen duck race on August 26.

Money raised from both events will go towards the fundraising appeal to repair the Mill and save a much-loved part of Winchester’s medieval heritage.

At Beaulieu...

MARY Montagu-Scott, the new High Sheriff of Hampshire, will welcome Southampton Football Club legend Francis Benali to Beaulieu’s The 999 Show as the star of a staged VIP kidnap attempt on Bank Holiday Monday.

Footballing hero ‘Franny’ Benali will be guarded by the Specialist Operations Regiment, Royal Military Police in a kidnap attempt demonstration on the Beaulieu Events Arena. Show-goers can see the real-life bodyguard techniques used to protect Franny in the grounds of the National Motor Museum.

Then to mark the start of her year in office, Mary’s everyday transport – an unremarkable Skoda Yeti – will be transformed into a machine fit for law enforcement with a new Sheriff livery. This dramatic metamorphosis will include the traditional High Sheriff coat of arms on the bonnet.

The 999 Show at Beaulieu will celebrate the work of the emergency services.

Visitors can also see an amazing collection of historic emergency services vehicles, look to the sky for a demonstration by the Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers Parachute Display Team and enjoy marching military band performances by the Rifles Band Winchester, as well as the rescue of a casualty from the scene of a crash as the emergency services stage an extrication display.

In a CSI Beaulieu murder mystery at Palace House, visitors can find out from forensic investigators how to hunt for clues, dust for fingerprints, collect evidence and photograph the scene of a crime. A cast of Beaulieu guides and actors will bring the story to life for event-goers to follow the murder trail around the Montagu family home.

At Mottifont...

BECOME a travelling artist at Mottisfont this half term.

Take a journey through Mottisfont’s picturesque gardens and write your own adventure story, inspired by colourful travel posters in our gallery.

Using your very own story map, create characters and imagine what they’ll get up to as you wander around the grounds. Along the way you’ll be able to illustrate your story and make your own paper car or boat to travel with you.

The event runs from Saturday until Sunday June 4 and is free after normal admission.

At Marwell...

THIS May half-term embark on Marwell Zoo’s popular Explorers Trail and collect a very special souvenir explorer’s sticker to take home.

Delve into a wild journey collecting stamps of your favourite exotic and endangered animals, from big cats to giraffes, Egyptian tortoises to Siamang gibbons.

Once you’ve found the hidden stamps around the zoo fill in the answers and complete your mission!

Plus, look out for their playful amur tiger and amur leopard cubs, as well as an adorable pygmy hippo calf called Norbert, who is often spotted grazing his way around the paddock with mum Wendy!

Visit on Tuesday and enjoy a whole host of bouncy activities including an air tract and trampetes, brought to the zoo for one day only by Oxygen Freejumping in Southampton.

At Winchester Science Centre and Planetarium...

THERE'S an electrifying programme of live shows and demonstrations for children and families this half term.

The latest live show at the Science Centre is called ‘High Voltage‘, this takes the audience on a thrilling exploration of electricity. The shows takes place daily alongside a series of exciting and thought-provoking electricity-themed demonstrations.

In addition to the High Voltage live show and demonstrations, visitors can enjoy access to the Science Centre’s two floors of hands-on interactive science exhibits, the Invention Studio and the outdoor picnic and play area.

There is also direct access from Winchester Science Centre to Magdalen Hill Butterfly Conservation Reserve, for those who want to experience views across the South Downs National Park.

Throughout half-term the planetarium is running an extended programme of shows including live, presenter-led shows and 360° full dome films including Simply Stars, The Planet Show, and The Secret of the Cardboard Rocket.