Kingsbridge duo Gus Howells and Tom Woodman, firm friends since meeting in Year 7 at school, enrolled with the Tavistock and District Outdoor Education Forum to take part in the 55 mile Ten Tors Challenge on Dartmoor last weekend.

Now both 17, they, along with one other boy and three girls from all corners of Devon, made up the youngest 55 mile Team at the event, the usual age requisite being 18-19 for this mileage, which made it all the more impressive that they crossed the finish line at 2pm onSunday afternoon.

They were each awarded a special Coronation Edition Gold medal for their efforts.

Their navigational skills were really tested this year as they picked their way through a thick fog that descended on them near Longaford Tor late on Saturday night and the last few miles of their expedition were completed through driving rain.

Their success is testament to the superb training, motivation and wealth of experience shared with them by Peter Challiss and his group of volunteers at the Tavistock and District Outdoor Education Forum, a non-profit organisation running adventurous activities foryoung people.

All of their training and sheer tenacity paid off as they crossed the finish line 2nd in their group of 13 teams on the same route.