A GROUP of Glasgow primary pupils today performed excerpts from an anti-sectarian play in front of Northern Ireland's Protestant First Minister Ian Paisley and his Catholic deputy Martin McGuinness.

The two men were in Edinburgh visiting Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond and the three politicians took a break to watch youngsters from St Mirin's and Croftfoot primaries perform scenes from their play A Weekend in Glasgow.

It takes place at the time of an Old Firm match and an Orange Parade in the city and shows the potential outcome of sectarian conflict including how it can result in loss of life.

The pupils from the two schools first got together three years ago under the banner Sense Over Sectarianism and each year perform a play for family and friends.

Project co-ordinator Geraldine Parkinson, from St Mirin's, said the 11 and 12-year-old pupils come together for drama lessons for six weeks and also get six weeks of lessons on sectarianism and bigotry and the problems they breed.

She said: "Some of the play is very powerful but it is age appropriate and there are a lot of opportunities for the children to discuss the different issues raised."

Alison Logan, co-ordinator of Sense Over Sectarianism, said: "The meeting in Edinburgh is a great opportunity to show the work Glasgow schools are doing to combat sectarianism to people who have a long history of trying to work with the issue themselves."