A GROUP of students were allowed to swap seats in class – and swapped them around 5,000 times at Turf Moor.

Duke of Edinburgh bronze students at Blessed Trinity RC College had to raise money for a charity as part of their awards and were challenged to sit in every seat in the upper James Hargreaves stand at Burnley Football Club in one morning.

The Year Nines were doing it for Pendleside Hospice, a cause close to the school as popular long-serving teacher Mick Ennis died there in December 2014 as well as for family and friends who have needed the hospice.

“We work closely with Burnley FC and so it was an idea, with the charity part of the award, to challenge the students while raising funds,” said teacher Louise Place.

“I think the students found it harder than they at first thought."

Student Connor Johnson said: “It was really tiring, I thought it would be easy but it wasn’t."

“It was hard work but I was determined to do them all,” said fellow pupil Sophie Cree.

Burnley in the Community's Matt Parish said: "We work closely with Blessed Trinity on a number of initiatives, including the Duke of Edinburgh Award programme.

"We were delighted to support them and it's a great achievement to see them complete the task and sit in each of the seats in the stand. I’m sure there were some aching legs."

The students are hoping to raise £500 so if anyone wants to sponsor them go to https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/btrcc.