NINE students at Accrington Academy braced ice and snow to enjoy a 12 day expedition in Iceland.

The pupils were accompanied by two members of staff from the Queens Road West School for the trip.

Students did their own fundraising to finance the trip, including a sponsored walk across Yorkshire’s three peaks, an abseil down the Manchester Velodrome, bag packing at local supermarkets and cakes sales.

Student Natalie Whitham said: “The landscapes were phenomenal - from walking on land that looked like Mars, to gazing out at the mountains of Middle Earth, to walking through kilometres of ice with the sun beaming down on us – Iceland had it all.”

Those taking part also had to take part in a fitness regime in preparation for the 12 day exhibition, which started in the Icelandic capital of Reykjavik.