Teenagers from a Bingley school got down to work at stables mucking out horses.

The Year Ten pupils from Beckfoot School were at the Riding for the Disabled stables at the St Ives Estate in Harden , as part of their school’s work experience project. They helped out with jobs in the exercise arena, groomed the horses and carried out the “back breaking” job of removing deadly ragwort as well as painting fences.

The ten-strong team also worked with the Friends of St Ives group in the estate’s heritage walled garden during the four-day work placement.

Beckfoot School teacher Fiona Waterhouse said it was a success. She said: “They helped with the mucking out of the stables and were a bit reluctant at first – the whole idea didn’t particularly appeal to them but, once they started to do it, they were quite happy to do it the next day as well.”

She added: “It was mixed and varied but it was very hard work.”