SCOUTS from Aberlady have been among hundreds of youngsters swapping classroom learning for army-level training.

Members of the 1st Aberlady Scouts took part in the Army Youth Challenge South, facilitated by The Royal Regiment of Scotland.

The event aims to help young people aged 10 to 19 develop important life skills, such as teamwork, navigation and problem-solving.

Over the course of five days, about 60 youths per day took part in an armed vehicle demonstration in protected patrol vehicles used to cross the hot and dusty conditions of locations such as the Helmand desert.

The youngsters were also given behind-the-scenes tours of the state-of-the-art technology the Royal Regiment of Scotland uses and were able to experience mock reconnaissance role-plays, for which they used advance navigation systems and tried out the latest night vision technology.

Sergeant Danny Cave, from the Royal Regiment of Scotland, was among those welcoming youngsters to Glencorse Barracks.

He said: “It’s fantastic to see young people so excited for a day of army life and training.

“We’ve really enjoyed giving those here today an insight into what goes on behind the barbed wire, a glimpse at the more technical and STEM side of things.”