A group of pupils and staff from Aspatria’s Beacon Hill School conquered hills, heat and rough terrain as part of a cycle challenge.

The team travelled to Normandy in France for the four-day event which covered more than 200 miles.

They competed in a mini Tour de France, climbed over a series of mountains and took part in time trials.

Dan Potts, 12, and Lewis Penn, 16, were among the students who took part.

Dan said: “It was tougher than I imagined. Everyone really supported each other.”

The team had to raise money to fund the trip and made £10,000 through events including bag packing events, raffles, sponsored cycle challenges and donations from businesses and the community.

During the trip, pupils also visited the D-Day Landing beaches and laid a wreath at the Allied War Memorial. The wreath was made up of poppies which had a message written by either a pupil, pupils from feeder primary schools or by residents from Aspatria’s Park Lodge residential care home.