A GROUP of sixth form pupils from QEGS fly out to work in the Townships of South Africa next month knowing they have successfully completed phase one of their mission.

And if the organisational skills they showed to run the school's first ever six-a-side tournament is anything to go by, then phase two should be a big hit as well.

The 13 boys and one girl from the Blackburn school will spend more than two weeks at the Masipuhlee Township on the outskirts of Cape Town.

And they take with them £400 raised from the football tournament held at Lammack Juniors.

The group were hoping to take more money with them to donate to the local schools where they will be working. But the inaugural QEGS Soccer 6 Tournament was cut from two days to one as it clashed with a number of other competitions on the same weekend.

A total of 10 teams took part with under eights and under nines teams playing in two mini leagues.

The format saw the top two in each division and the best third place team progress to Group A with the five remaining teams playing in Group B.

And it was Bamber Bridge who pipped Huncoat to top honours in Group A while Lammack won Group B with QEGS finishing as runners-up. QEGS entered two teams in to the competition, as did Mill Hill FC and White Chapel while Lammack, Huncoat, Bamber Bridge and Longridge all entered teams.

QEGS teacher Andy Buck-ingham helped organise the competition but, on the day, it was all down to the pupils.

"It was a great exercise for them and I think they learnt a lot about how to run a football competition," said Andy. "They split the duties between them, coaching teams, refereeing and running the scoreboard.

"It would have been great if we could have run it over the full weekend as we would have raised a bit more money but hopefully we will now make the competition an annual event."

The group fly out to South Africa on July 4 and return on July 20. Pupils will be helping with renovation work on schools including carpentry, painting and teaching.

"This will be a tremendous experience for the pupils and will be a real eye-opener," added Andy who said the trip was arranged after speaking to representatives of the Bethany Project. "They are going out there to work but, no doubt, they will try and fit in a football tournament or two!"