Teachers retrace 'Lost World' path

The party will trek through dense rainforest

Two teachers from Lancashire have set off on an epic search for a part of the Amazon rainforest once described as "the poisoned hell".

Derek Roddenberg and Simon Chapman are trying to rediscover the area between Brazil and Bolivia which was immortalised in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's book "The Lost World".

The book inspired the Jurassic Park films.

As he treks through the jungle, Mr Roddenberg, a geography teacher at the Central Lancaster High School, will keep in touch with his pupils.

As a learning tool for the pupils it is incredible

Pat Askew, head teacher

"We are re-tracing the footsteps of Colonel Fawcett, a gentlemen who went there in 1908 to draw up the boundaries," he told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"This is very much untrodden ground and it is very much an exploration into the unknown.

Six-foot snake

"Conan Doyle wrote about 60-foot Anacondas, but I think I can just about cope with a six-foot Anaconda.

"If the children go onto The Lost World website ... they can have a look at the expedition," he added.

One of Mr Roddenberg's pupils said: "I will be very excited to see what he is doing by using text messages on the mobile phone."

The forest is full of unidentified creatures

The two teachers are accompanied by a freelance photographer who will capture the journey on film.

The head teacher at Central Lancaster High School, Pat Askew, said: "It is brilliant and amazing.

"Mr Roddenberg is a very charismatic teacher, I think he may have some funding from National Geographic magazine.

"As a learning tool for the pupils it is incredible ... they have gone in search of 'The Lost World'."

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was born in Edinburgh and studied medicine there before opening shop as a "consulting pathologist."

His first story published was "The Mystery of Sasassa Valley" in 1879, but he is best known for creating the Sherlock Holmes character.