ARMED with pens and notebooks, a group of schoolchildren from the region are reporting on the Olympics.

Eight teenagers flew off Greece yesterday as part as part of a Government-backed project.

The pupils, from Middlesbrough's Kings Manor and Hall Garth schools, recently spent a week learning about the media and sports reporting and now plan to put the theory into practice in Athens.

The trip has been organised by Creative Partnerships Tees Valley in conjunction with Middlesbrough Football Club's Playing for Success study support centre.

Creative Partnerships Tees Valley is a Government-funded programme that aims to give children the opportunity to develop their own creativity in learning. This is being achieved through partnerships with schools, local education authorities, artists and cultural and creative organisations.

The youngsters - Ashley Turner, Scott Gell, Sophie Rowney, Selina Rashad, Magadass Ahmed, Helen Appleby, James Ooi and Grant Quick - have learned about sports reporting from professional journalists and filmmakers and also visited a newspaper office to see how a sports desk operates.

During their week in Athens, they will cover a number of Olympic events, including the finals of the rowing.

Carol Alevroyianni, creative director of Creative Partnerships Tees Valley said: "Although this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the youngsters, it is very much a working trip aimed at giving them an insight into the media and sports reporting.

"We are trying to encourage the young journalists of tomorrow in the hope that they will go on to make a valuable contribution to the Tees Valley economy in the future."