EAGLE-eyed pupils from King’s School gave Cheshire East Council a history lesson after bungling bosses tried to rewrite history.

Young historians Grace Heywood, 13 and Charlotte Roxburgh, 13, spotted a mistake on the newly-installed Macclesfield timeline at the town’s railway station.

The timeline, which runs the length of the footbridge from platform one to two, traces historic moments in the town’s history – but one of the eight installations states that Charles Roe built the first Silk Mill in Macclesfield in 1843 – when in fact it was 1743.

Grace, a year nine student from Kettleshulme, said: “They are exactly 100 years out. If I did that in an essay I’d get an F and a big red line through my work.”

Charlotte, from Congleton, said: “Grace and I were going back to my house and walking over the footbridge to take the train to Congleton. We had just been studying about Charles Roe and how he founded the silk industry in Macclesfield that day and couldn’t believe the mistake.

“We didn’t need to check our notes, we knew we were right but we could hardly believe such a big mistake was made on signage which is supposed to advertise the town’s incredible past.”

Dr Linda Craig, head of history at the school, said: “We all make mistakes and hopefully it will be put right easily.

“I am delighted that Grace and Charlotte have been able to relate the knowledge they have gained in the classroom to the world around them.”

Council bosses said they were aware of the mistake and that it had been rectified on Saturday (November 16) after they stuck a big centenary sticker over the panel. A council spokesman said: “This was a simple typographical error and was corrected at the first available opportunity.”