A TEACHER from the Ribble Valley is heading for the land of fire and ice on a research project.

Doug Wardle won the chance to take part in a study of Iceland's glaciers being organised by the environmental charity Earthwatch.

He leaves on Sunday and will spend two weeks in Skaftafell in South East Iceland, looking at the after effects of a massive volcanic eruption under the ice cap in 1996.

His expenses are being covered by scheme sponsors 3M - who have a base in Clitheroe as 3M Neotechnic.

Doug, 36, lives in Beechthorpe Avenue, Waddington, with his wife, Elaine, and children Ella, seven, and Jake, five.

He said he walked around all day with a daft smile on his face after hearing he had won the fellowship.

"I love wild, natural places, especially mountainous ones, and am fascinated by glaciers and volcanoes," he said. "Iceland is exciting and ideal for study because the land is being born right in front of you and is not densely populated."

Doug was helped with his application for the fellowship by some of his pupils at Bolton School, where he teaches geography and is deputy head.

He said the trip would be useful for his A Level lessons. "I'll use the experience to inform my teaching and hopefully enthuse the boys at school. Studying real glaciers at work will add enormously to my understanding.

"I'd like to think it will be an experience to last a lifetime, not just a couple of weeks."

Simon Martyn, executive director of the Earthwatch Institute, said: "This is a great opportunity for teachers and conservationists to work alongside some of the leading experts in their field.

"We're offering them a chance to freshen up their teaching skills and help the environment in one go."

The Earthwatch Fellowship programme has sent more than 1,000 teachers and conservationists on projects overseas during the past five years. 3M has funded places for 100 teachers since 1993.

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