A TEAM of secondary school students have achieved the Gold Standard in the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme.

The highlight of the project was a four-day expedition to the remote northern areas of the Lake District over four days from July 8 to 11 this year.

The team of 10 pupils had to complete an 80-mile expedition without help, relying on each other and being entirely self sufficient carrying all their camping equipment and food supplies as they trekked across the hills.

The two teams of five students, Charlie's Angels and Usual Suspects, had trained hard with their leaders, Rachel Watson and Peter Barrett, in the weeks and months before the final expedition.

They overcame rain, wind, hills, blisters and the assessors final comments were that they had all shown "motivation, enthusiasm and determination", "they were a credit to their school and an example of the true purpose of the Duke of Edinburgh scheme.''