Staff at Burnley Youth Theatre are appealing for help in raising funds to send their students to Edinburgh Fringe Festival this summer.

Over the last 10 months, members of Burnley Youth Theatre, based in Queens Park Road, have raised more than £8,000 from bake sales, face painting, jewellery selling, and talent shows.

However due to the rising costs of accommodation and travel to the Scottish capital, the group is trying to raise an extra £1,000 in a month-long challenge to reach the fundraising target of £9,000.

The youth theatre's aspiring thespians will be heading to Edinburgh Fringe Festival, which is the world's largest performance arts festival and runs this year from August 4 to 28.

Last year it featured more than 3,800 different shows across 322 venues.

Marketing communication co-ordinator at Burnley Youth Theatre, Hannah Kay, 26, who is taking part in the July challenge, said while the festival has always been expensive, the cost-of-living crisis has raised expenses drastically.

She said: “The trains are more expensive and accommodation prices have risen, but it is such a valuable experience for young people to perform on such a big platform in Edinburgh.

“It is really important we use this opportunity and don't let the rising cost stop us. We will do anything to make it happen.”

To raise funds, staff will be travelling the 211-mile distance from Burnley to Edinburgh, by running, hiking, swimming and biking, in order to raise the money for FirstByte.

FirstByte is Burnley Youth Theatre’s unique training opportunity for young people aged 14 to 18 across East Lancashire, bringing a small group of young performers together to form a company who produce productions throughout the year.

The group receives support and mentoring from members of the Burnley Youth Theatre’s team, allowing them to experience what goes into creating a piece of theatre.

The taught skills include rehearsing, fundraising, marketing, developing sets and costumes, technical skills and developing performance skills.

Hannah added: “These trips are so successful; we have been going for eight years and it started by a trip up to Edinburgh to show our students how amazing the Fringe is and show them how it is possible to perform there.

“We then thought why we don’t give these opportunities to our young people in Burnley, and we then arranged for them to perform themselves.

“They work together all year to produce a piece of theatre, and it gives them the skills that you wouldn’t get without the experience of going to the Fringe.”

FirstByte are scheduled to perform their new play ‘Decay’ at Edinburgh Fringe Festival between Monday, August 7, and Thursday 10, at Greenside @ Nicolson Square, at 12.45pm each day, with tickets priced at £10.

Donations can be made by visiting the JustGiving page: www.justgiving.com/campaign/burnleytoedinburgh