The search is on for 20 intrepid young people who will spend three weeks in a Kenyan village and scale Africa's highest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro.

Hit the Roof of Africa is a project launched by Bradford's Youth Service to strengthen relationships between people from different parts of the district, foster team building and form leadership skills.

They will also be do valuable work in a Kenyan village.

The trip which includes climbing Mount Kilimanjaro will be an experience of a lifetime, according to Ketan Gandhi, youth service area manager.

He said: "We have started the selection process by sending out application forms to youth clubs and groups.

"From September, the group - black, white, middle class and working class - will begin working together to raise money for their trip. They will be sharing the experience, living together, climbing the mountain, supporting each other and that will hopefully create bonds that are everlasting between them.

"They will see what people have to go through in Kenya to get an education."

On their return, the group will give talks and presentations to schools and youth clubs.

A selection of 20 people aged 18 to 21 will be chosen by September when they will begin to raise £1,500 each.

The trip in February will be organised by Outward Bound, an organisation dedicated to taking young people on life-changing experiences.

Mr Gandhi added: "One of our issues in Bradford is lack of aspiration. What we want to say to the young people is that there is a whole world out there.

"We want them to experience this and come back and tell other young people about it and how important it is to grasp opportunities."

Standing at 19,335ft high, Mount Kilimanjaro is the 'roof of Africa'. Although it is still a volcano, it has not been active in modern times, but steam and sulphur are still emitted.

Mount Kilimanjaro is the largest of an east to west belt of about 20 volcanoes near the southern end of the East African Rift Valley.