Rotherham youngsters' Tall Ships adventure

The three-day expedition was part of an education project with the Tall Ships Youth Trust, a Portsmouth-based charity dedicated to the personal development of young people aged 16 to 25 through the crewing of tall ships.

The activity was organised and funded by Barnardo's Back on Track team based at Redbarn House in Swinton. It was aimed at providing a team building experience for young people who are referred to the service from schools across Rotherham.

A spokesman for the project said: “The event is not just a jolly away from home but provides skills for life.

“Communication skills, trust, listening and coping skill are all a part of team work and learning to succeed in life and the world of work.

“The young people and the Barnardo's staff team, who supported and accompanied the group, certainly had a demanding three-day taster of what life is like on board to successfully navigate and crew a 72 foot yacht in the English channel.”

He added: “The group succeeded in undergoing a sharp learning curve dealing with the demands of handling the rigging, setting the sails, holding a course on the helm and learning to assess danger along with early morning rises to catch the tide.

“Furthermore, they faced the challenge of not having their usual daily fix of mobile phones, Facebook and the Internet.

“When given the opportunity, the young people of Rotherham successfully stepped out of the comfort zones and met the challenge, enjoying an unforgettable experience.”