Four organisations have joined forces to provide young people with free taster days of life as a forester next week near Keswick.

The Royal Forestry Society (RFS), Forestry Commission England, Newton Rigg College and University of Cumbria will run a Forestry and Woodlands Careers Week for people aged 13-19 at Whinlatter Visitor Centre on October 24 to 28.

RFS future foresters officer Adam Todd said: "Forestry offers a vast range of careers and opportunities - from hands on forestry to woodland management and research.

"These taster days will give an insight into practical and scientific skills involved in forestry, help young people consider opportunities from school leavers to further education and higher education and take them into the forest to introduce some of the issues foresters tackle day to day.

"We hope they will be inspired to consider a career in a sector which is seeing rising demands for timber and increasing woodland cover."

There will also be an opportunity to talk to foresters and recent forestry graduates.