Students from a Norwich academy swapped their homes for tents on the school field over the weekend as part of a bid to raise money for a homeless charity.

Fifty youngsters - aged between 12 and 16 - from the City Academy Norwich spent Friday night on the school playing field as part of its annual Big Freeze event to raise money for Shelter and the academy's Duke of Edinburgh Award programme.

The Big Freeze event, now in its fourth year, saw students arrive at 8pm and spend the night on the field until 8am on Saturday.

During the night they took part in a range of activities ranging from laser tag to a glow stick treasure hunt as well as watching films that will be projected on to one of the outside walls of the academy.

Mike Deal, instructor in alternative curriculum at the academy where he is also Duke of Edinburgh co-ordinator, said: 'It went really well. The early indications are we've raised about £1500 and I'm very pleased with that - over the past four years that we've done it I think we've raised about £9,000 for charity.'

Mr Deal said the students 'really took part' in the event and helped make it the 'best ever year' they have had doing it.

The event aims to raise students' awareness of homelessness and allows them to experience a range of outdoor and adventure activities.

All money raised will be donated to the housing and homeless charity Shelter and to a fund that helps City Academy Norwich students, who could not otherwise afford it, work towards their Duke of Edinburgh Award.