BRICKWORK students from Warrington Collegiate got the opportunity to peek behind the scenes at Hanson quarry and see how the materials they work with every day are made.

The youngsters visited Cefn Mawr in Wales to watch cement, bricks and concrete being created from raw materials.

They also watched a quarry blast, where explosives are used to break up rock for excavation.

Level three student Louis Shipton said: “It was a great experience. We got to see the explosion and see how the quarry works. It was great to be able to see what goes into producing concrete and cement, something that we use every day in the workshop.”

His classmate Jay Smith added: “The quarry visit was a really worthwhile experience – I really enjoyed it.

“We get to go on a lot of trips as part of the course – we visited the cathedrals in Liverpool earlier this year and that was really good.

“I’m picking up a skill at the end of the day that will be with me for life. I’m always going to have the ability to use a trowel and what I’m learning here is setting me up for the future. I’m really happy with what I’m doing.”

Brickwork lecturer Carl Atherton said the trip was a unique opportunity for students.

He said: “It was fantastic for our brickwork students to be able to go behind the scenes and see how a quarry works. We’re extremely grateful to Hanson and to their quarry manager for taking the time to show our students around. Everyone had a fantastic time.”