EATING her cornflakes with chopsticks is just one of the challenges facing teenager Laura Jackson as she tries to raise £3,000 to pay for a once-in-a-lifetime expedition to China.

The 16-year-old from Kelbrook has a host of sponsored events planned to help scale the cash mountain before she can tackle the real thing in the Tibetan highlands.

The events include eating all her food for a week with chopsticks, completing 100 lengths (about one-and-a-half miles) of West Craven swimming pool, Barnoldswick, and an oriental non-uniform day at Skipton Girls High School, where she is preparing to start A-levels. Laura, of Dotcliffe Road, has been chosen to take part in an expedition to the Qing-Hai region of China next July with the Yorkshire Schools Exploring Society.

Over the next 12 months she has to raise £2,600 to cover the costs as well as extra money for food and equipment. In all she estimates she will need £3,000.

Laura is hoping her fund-raising efforts, together with possible sponsorship from local firms and groups, will meet the target.

"Qing-Hai is a mountainous region in the North West of China," said Laura. "I will be part of a party of 40 people, 31 expeditioners and nine leaders, who will be making the trip.

"We will then split into a group of around a dozen and I will be mountain trekking and mountain biking.

"I will also be helping with school building or developing play areas.

"Altogether we will be spending five weeks in the region entering the country through Beijing and then travelling by train to Qing-Hai."

Laura, who attended Kelbrook Primary School before going to Skipton, is no stranger to challenges.

She achieved her bronze Duke of Edinburgh award and has almost completed the silver.

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