PEMBROKESHIRE’S Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme has been highly praised in a recent inspection.

Assessors of the prestigious award scheme joined a group of 32 Gold Award aspiring Pembrokeshire youngsters while on a gruelling hike in a remote part of Scotland.

The 16-18 year old youngsters - from Greenhill, Tasker Milward, Sir Thomas Piction, Ysgol Bro Gwaun, Ysgol Dewi Sant and Pembrokeshire College - were taking part in a four-night expedition in the West Highlands when the inspector called.

DofE youth workers and adult volunteers supervising the trip were given just one day’s notice of the inspection!

Reporting afterwards the report by the Adventure Activities Licensing Service said it had been a pleasure to meet the youngsters and that all aspects of the operation appeared to have been carefully planned and considered with appropriate controls in place.

“The Inspector noted the obvious enjoyment and satisfaction that the young people he spoke to were getting from taking part in their expedition,” the inspection report said.

“Despite some days of indifferent weather and the challenging nature of their expedition they appeared to be revelling in the experience and had developed a strong supportive ethos within the group.

“It was evident that the training and practice expeditions that the groups had completed had paid dividends in this respect.

“[It was] a pleasure to meet up with these young people. No blisters, no moans and lots of laughs.”

Councillor Sue Perkins, Cabinet Member for Education and Safeguarding said she was delighted at the Inspection report.

“Both the youngsters and the Pembrokeshire County Council youth workers, who run the scheme are to be congratulated and praised for their hard work and dedication,” she said.

Pembrokeshire has always had the highest number of Duke of Edinburgh award winners- as a percentage of the County’s youth population – than any other County in Wales.

In 2013/14 there were 231 Bronze Awards, 72 Silver Awards and 32 Gold Awards.