A GROUP of North-East school children are going Down Under for their summer break.

While other schools go to France or Germany on exchange visits, the youngsters from Sunderland High School have set their sights on a trip to Australia.

A party of 37, including 25 pupils aged from ten to 12, will set off on the ambitious three-week trip of a lifetime later this month.

It is the idea of teacher Jim Turner, who spent a year teaching at Somerset College, in Mudgeeraba, near Queensland's Gold Coast, in the early 1990s.

The party will fly to Brisbane, before visiting Somerset College, staying with host families of pupils, and then complete the trip by joining the Australian children at their annual camp out in the Bush.

Jim said: "It's a great chance to see lots of different aspects of Australia. Even though it's their winter, the Gold Coast climate is very nice, by and large sunny and probably more comfortable than in their summer months."

It is the first time the school has considered such an ambitious visit, and Mr Turner hopes the Australian youngsters will be able to reciprocate in coming years.