Journalism students at a Brighton college had a work experience treat this week when they helped national press hacks cover the 25th anniversary of the Brighton bomb.

Placements were offered to three students from City College Brighton and Hove to cover the event at the Grand Hotel and the lucky trio were Bill Gardner, Lauren Greatorex and Jordan Pinto.

The team carried out a variety of tasks including liaising with national TV crews, alerting photographers to the arrival of VIPs and of course making the tea and coffee.

City College lecturer Peter Lindsey said: “Normally work experience means a week on a local paper which, of course, is invaluable, but this was a great opportunity in a league of its own.”

Tim Cobb, owner of Cobb PR which organised the placements, added: “I spent the first 15 years of my working life in journalism, so I know how important it is to fire up would-be journalists and give them a taste of handling a big story.

“The three students did very well, nothing seemed to faze them. One of them even whipped out his notepad and started interviewing Lord Tebbit.”