'Lirpa Loof' hunt fools Karetu kids - but not for long

Karetu School students get ready for a Lirpa Loof hunt using carrots as bait. Photo / supplied

The first sign that something was up at Karetu School was the sign at the front gate.

It declared the school had been put up for sale for $1 million, with the proceeds going to the principal's retirement fund.

Then the children were sent outside with carrots in the hope of luring the incredibly rare Lirpa Loof out of the bush.

The Lirpa Loof is rarely seen in New Zealand but a few had apparently gone astray during their annual migration to China and ended up in Karetu, just east of Kawakawa.

The children had barely given up their search for the elusive bird when they were told a wealthy buyer was on his way to look over the school but, alas, the caretaker's lawnmower had broken down. The top field needed mowing before his helicopter could land.

Year 3 pupils Corey, Rayne, Brodie and Piripi get to work cutting the grass on Karetu School's top field. Photo / supplied

There was no choice but to send the kids out with scissors to trim the grass.

Nine-year-old Sasha Davies said she ''kind of'' fell for the April Fool gags yesterday morning, but the carrots gave it away for her.

''That was suspect,'' she said.

Another clue was the name of the supposedly rare bird. Once the kids realised what it spelt backwards the teachers' game was up.

Sasha said, however, the best April Fool's joke was the one they played on their principal, ''Mr T'', when they convinced him the school's new smartboard had broken down.

Year 8 pupil Opal Halton tries to lure a rare Lirpa Loof from the bush. Photo / supplied

Teacher Jen Gabb said it was the first time staff had involved the entire 103-pupil school on April Fool's Day.

''We usually play little pranks between colleagues but this year we decided to ramp it up a bit. The students took it really well, they saw the humour and thought it was pretty cool.''

Any children who were still uncertain were assured at an assembly afterwards that the school wasn't really for sale.

The first sign that something was up at Karetu School on Friday was a real estate sign on the front gate. Photo / supplied