STUDENTS at Hope Academy got a taste of life as a journalist as part of the annual BBC School Report day last Thursday

The day saw 14 pupils from years seven, eight and 10 get involved as they reported on a variety of subjects during the day.

Topics covered by budding news reporters included the St Helens Local Plan, as two pupils carried out their own research within the community and received more than 300 responses to a survey they sent out. They also met with Cllr Seve Gomez-Aspron to gain a bigger understanding of the plan and how it came about

Stress levels in teenagers and under the new GCSEs was also covered as well as eating disorders in young people

A member of the RNLI was interviewed on volunteering. Other stories included an interview with a karate teacher, a charity bike ride to Amsterdam for prostate cancer, a fundraising walk for a fellow Cerebral Palsy sufferer, a film review and a weather report.

Louise Davies, volunteering and enterprise co-ordinator at Hope Academy, said: "I am so proud of each and every pupil who has committed to this project and the creativity they have shown in their choice of news story.

"They have conducted their own research, arranged interviews themselves, filmed and edited their own reports. "We have some fantastic reporters here at Hope Academy."