FOURTEEN girls and four staff from Teesside High School, in Eaglescliffe, have returned safely from an adventurous trip to Thailand.

The 19-day holiday took the party to inaccessible parts of the country, where they experienced four days of living with locals in a tribal village before trekking through the jungle and travelling on elephants.

The team also went white water rafting, visited Burma, and experienced the sights, sounds and smells of Bangkok.

The group then enjoyed a rest on the island of Koh Samet.

Expedition leader Rebecca Kirk, head of biology at the school, said: "This trip was incredibly diverse - from the bustle of Bangkok to the jungles on the Burmese border, and from the peaceful villages in the north to the white sand beaches of the south.

"The people we met were fantastic, and so helpful and welcoming.

"It was a hectic adventure full of experiences we shall never forget."

The group also donated money to an elephant orphanage and hopes to stay in touch with new-found friends through the school's Young Enterprise scheme.

The girls and their teachers encountered basic facilities and faced gruelling conditions, as heavy rain turned tracks to quagmires.

Mrs Kirk said: "The girls and staff approached every challenge with enthusiasm and determination, and we had so much fun, even in the toughest situations.

"We will never take plumbing and electricity for granted again."

Students and staff kept friends and relatives updated on a blog website.

The expedition followed other successful trips to China and Mongolia, Namibia and Borneo.

Next year, sports teams from the school will visit New Zealand.