STUDENTS from a Hyndburn school took part in a 12 day expedition to Iceland.

The nine youngsters from Accrington Academy started planning the trip two years ago holding a sponsored walk, abseiling down Manchester Veladrome and bag packing at a supermarket in order to fund it.

Run in partnership with World Challenge, they also underwent an arduous fitness regime in preparation for the trekking stage expedition, which started in the Icelandic capital of Reykjavik.

They visited Þingvellir National Park and the Golden Circle tour and travelled to Landmannalaugar, from where they set off on a 55km trek along the Laugavegur trail.

The six-day trek included a series of ascents and descents, river crossings and bridge walks, putting the team’s strength and endurance to the test, although they were rewarded at journey’s end with a dip in the geothermal pool at Þorsmork.

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."

The third element of the trip involved the team including Morgan Shanks, Ceira Poole, Rebecca Edwards, Bria Fielding, Rachael Wootton, Kamran Whitehead, Michael Hemingway and Jacob Firestone participating in a conservation project and planting over 500 trees in partnership with the Forestry Commission.