WORCESTER schoolchildren have been taking advantage of the facilities on offer at the county's outdoor centre - which could be axed by Worcestershire County Council in a bid to save money.

The Year 11 students from Nunnery Wood High School visited Llanrug Outdoor Centre, Snowdonia, for a residential course.

The centre, along with the one at Malvern, could be lost if the county council end its subsidy as part of a raft of cost-cutting measures.

County people, opposed to the loss of the centres, have launched petitions and written letters to council leader George Lord.

Karen Humphries, outdoor education co-ordinator at Nunnery Wood High School, said she had taken hundreds of students on regular trips over the years. Last month, her pupils invited Mr Lord and the county council cabinet to join them on a trip to the centre, but were told they would be too busy as they were dealing with the budget.

But Miss Humphries said their recent trip had been as productive as ever. She and a group of Year 11 pupils sent regular updates to the Worcester News during their stay.

"The weather has been the worst I have ever known in terms of wind and rain and it has made the activities even more challenging than normal," she said.

"We had three days of 60-70 mph winds which kept us off the high mountain ridges but, despite this, each group managed to carry on with activities in the outdoors, this has meant all the courses have tested us all."

She said one group had fought their way up Drum, a 700m mountain in the Carneddau, and although they were limited from taking part in some activities by flood warnings, they still managed to go kayak surfing on the Anglesey coast, a canoe expedition along the Menai Straits and practising climbing skills at a local wall.

Year 11 student Lorna Hassell said: "Despite all of the severe weather conditions, we have managed to enjoy ourselves and learn at the same time.

"Our days have been challenging. But, thanks to the experience of our instructors, who are used to working in these conditions, we have been pushed to our limits and achieved great goals."