Military challenge for students

The pupils are put through their paces by serving military personnel

Hundreds of pupils from 24 schools across Devon and Cornwall have been "recruited" by the British Army to give them a taste of life in the military.

The 700 students are taking part in special operations running over a three-day period at HMS Raleigh in Torpoint, Cornwall.

The challenges are designed to test ingenuity, teamwork and endurance.

It is hoped the Raleigh challenge will teach pupils about the modern military and a little about themselves.

"A lot of these youngsters don't know anything at all about the Army", Major Arthur Normal-Walker, from The Rifles, told BBC News.

"We're very proud of what our guys are doing around the world and we want to meet people and tell them about the different things we get up to and some of the career options as well."

The exercises are designed to test teamwork, ingenuity and initiative

The pupils are put through their paces by serving members of the military.

Claire Tucker, a teacher at St Cuthbert Mayne School in Torquay, Devon, said although the students were away from school, the focus was still on learning.

"It's out the classroom and getting them to use their own initiative and skills they wouldn't normally use, to think about other people and learn new things," she said.