SENIOR pupils from South Craven School have made a positive difference to the lives of young students in west Africa.

The 21 sixth formers, accompanied by five teachers, embarked on a trip to Ghana organised by South Craven maths teacher Jonny Lonsdale and a scheme called Partner Ghana.

The students spent two weeks at Elmina Methodist School, four hours from the Ghanaian capital Accra.

Elmina is now a fishing village, though it used to be one of the infamous centres of the Atlantic slave trade.

A spokesman for South Craven said: "Our students were in Ghana to help the school pupils at Elmina. They revamped their library by putting up shelving, painting, installing lights and fans and stocking it with books which they had taken with them.

"On the newly painted walls they wrote the South Craven motto, which is: 'We cannot predict the future but we can help our students to design their own'.

"Also linking our schools was a new mural on the outside wall showing the Union flag and the Ghanaian flag with the crests from the two schools."

She added that Elmina Methodist School has 14 teachers and 150 students.

During their stay, the South Craven pupils also worked on improving the school's garden and took part in a sports day.

They had a chance to enjoy some tourist attractions, including a canopy walk in the rainforest, drumming and dancing lessons and beach parties.

The spokesman said: "Visiting the church and the homes of the Elmina students gave them an insight into the day-to-day lives of the people in the area. All our students have returned home wiser and moved by this experience."