[Ammi]

What would Mary Poppins say? Trainees at Britain's most prestigious nanny school are learning martial arts and stunt driving - to protect against robbers and kidnappers.

Norland College in Bath, Somerset, has been training professional nannies for royalty, celebrities and high society since 1892.

But gone are the days when a nanny only needed to be equipped with the ability to make scrumptious scones and wear a kind smile. Now the college are arming nannies with stunt driving and martial arts skills to protect the precious offspring of wealthy clients.

Lessons include driving classes which go beyond a simple three-point turn. Nannies are expected to drive at high speed in any weather conditions to enable them to escape the clutches of kidnappers or paparazzi

Student Lucy Draper, 24, said: "It teaches you how to look after your charges so if you have them in the back in dangerous situation you know how to cope.

"It teaches you things like how to get away from the paparazzi or if you're being chased as well as if you are on black ice or something like that.

"I definitely feel a lot better and more prepared now."

Nannies from Norland are in high demand among royalty and the extravagantly wealthy. They are immediately recognisable by their Mary Poppins-style brown uniforms, felt hats and white gloves.

The trainees learn everyday skills such as sewing, first aid and cooking at the 36,000 four year BA Honours degree course.

And they are now trained in high-speed driving by driving instructor John Yeo, who used to train bodyguards

He said: "We put them under as much pressure as we can.

"If we're putting all the pressure on them and they can still pull the car out of a situation quickly and efficiently, it's been a good reward.

"And we know when they go out there and that happens they've got the best chance possible of keeping safe."

They also undergo Tae Kwon-Do self-defense training where they learn to manoeuvre prams away from kidnappers and give themselves the best chance at escaping or alerting attention.

Claire Burges, lecturer and former graduate of Norland College, believes the college's founder, Emily Ward, would have loved the new additions to the prospectus.

She said: "When Emily Ward set up Norland, it was forward thinking it was always thinking about what was needed for the children in the families that the nannies were going to be caring for.

"And I think she'd love the idea that we're now moving it even more forward."

[Tom4784]

Ninja Nannies.

[Vanessa]

[LemonJam]

****, where do I sign up?