A TEAM of eight daring youngsters from a Padgate school are warming up to face the great outdoors as they prepare to take part in the regional heat of an adventure competition.

The eight 13 to 16-year-olds from Padgate High School will join forces with children from neighbouring Green Lane Special School to enter a joint team into the Keilder Challenge.

Now in its 20th year, the Kielder Challenge is a unique, free to enter adventure competition organised by the UK's leading outdoor access charity Fieldfare Trust and supported by the HSBC Education Trust.

The national competition involves teams of year eight to 11, young people with and without physical, sensory and learning disabilities.

At the heat, Padgate High and Green Lane pupils will go head-to-head with 200 UK schools for a place in the challenge. The teams will put their problem solving, communication and teamwork skills to the test as they battle against the clock to complete a series of problem solving activities, which include obstacle courses and rope mazes.

This is the first year Padgate High and Green Lane Special School has entered a team in the Kielder Challenge.