OUT-of-hours activities will be top class at Baxter College thanks to a cash grant from a Kidderminster youth charity.

A £5,000 cheque was handed to school principal, David Seddon, by Charles Talbot, of the Kidderminster and District Youth Trust, as a contribution to the £50,000 it needed for its specialist status bid.

"The leisure time activities will be enhanced by specialist status and we felt that was within our remit," said Mr Talbot, who set up the trust 40 years ago to help young people in the town.

Mr Talbot, who is also secretary of Kidderminster's twinning association, explained he was hoping to revive links with the high school in the German twin town, Husum.

"I took the mayor and chief executive of Husum to the school last week and they were very impressed," he said. "The links used to be very strong but they have fallen off in recent years.

"There will be a good reception for the students in Germany and we're now looking to take the next step."