COSTA Rican families put pen to paper after being astounded with the perfect behaviour of visiting East Lancashire teenagers.

The praise from across the globe comes following a trip by ten students on the Daniel Thwaites Scholarship.

The party, including Blackburn pair Chris Cook, of St Mary's College, and Louise Hogg, of Blackburn College, have just returned from the two-week adventure. The South America trip was sponsored by brewers Thwaites and run with the Experiment for International Living.

The teenagers stayed with Costa Rican families and witnessed many historic sights and spent time living and working alongside local families.

The Thwaites Scholarship has run for forty years and sends teenagers, who have been selected as students of the year from across Lancashire, to all parts of the world.

This time their hosts sent an official letter of praise stating what great ambassadors the teens had been.

Maricruz Pereira, who penned the letter, said: "Everyone agreed that we have never hosted a better behaved group of teenagers before. All the staff were amazed to see how well they behaved and how respectful they were. This was the most earnest, respectful, clean and charming group we have ever hosted.

"You should be very proud as they are excellent ambassadors for their country. And please, tell their parents how wonderful their sons and daughters are, they obviously did a great job raising them."

Paul Baker, Thwaites managing director, said: "How marvellous it is to read such a glowing tribute. The sentiments reflect on all involved and the students are a real credit to the officials who undertake the selection process.

"The Thwaites Scholarship has run with great success for more than four decades but this letter takes that success to a whole new level."