Young people from Lowestoft have learned how to be model citizens of the future at a major event in Kessingland.

The group of teenagers from the town joined 100 other teenagers from across Suffolk on a National Citizen Service (NCS) course at Kessingland Beach Caravan Park.

The programme includes outward bound adventure and skill building sessions before the teenagers challenge themselves to create and run a project to benefit the community.

For the course the 16 and 17-year-olds spent a week at the caravan park where they found out about the needs of the community from charities such as the Matthew Project and Age UK Suffolk.

Peter Aldous, Waveney MP, visited the young people to talk about the course and topics they were interested in, such as lowering the voting age and youth councils.

The week-long course will help the teenagers prepare for a community challenge in which they will complete a project to benefit residents or groups to help them achieve a NCS certificate signed by the prime minister.

Leon Edwards, youth engagement manager at Suffolk NCS said: 'By learning about the needs of the local area from charities and Mr Aldous, our participants get inspiration for planning and carrying out a community project.'

Mr Aldous said: 'I very much enjoyed meeting the young people who are taking part in the course.

'It provides them with the opportunity to make new friendships, work as a team and to acquire new skills which will be helpful for the future both in the workplace and in life in general.

For more information visit www.ncseast.co.uk