STUDENTS from Wigan and Leigh College have conquered 32 kilometres of river rapids.

The group of 10 sports students spent two days kayaking the Ardèche Gorges section of the Ardèche River in France which stretches 125 kilometres in total.

They also tried their hand at caving, rock climbing and abseiling on the limestone cliffs which surround the river and reach up to 300 metres high.

Sport tutor and former student Warren Turley organised the trip. He said: “When I was a student at the college I went on one of the trips to Ardèche and it was a fantastic experience.

“Unfortunately, that was the last time the trip was able to take place, and that was five years ago now.

“I knew how valuable the trip would be to students having been on one myself, so now as a tutor I decided to make sure it happened again.

“Not only were students able to get involved with some more extreme sports but they learned valuable lessons about teamwork and strategy. We’re going to return to Ardèche next year as it’s been a real success for all involved.”

The Ardèche region of France is well-known for its popularity with sports enthusiasts owing to its rivers and mountainous landscape.