ELDERLY residents are going back to school as part of a project to break down the generation barriers.

A small group of pensioners from Birch Hall Nursing Home will visit Darwen Vale High School to use the internet and attend history classes in a scheme called 'Consequences'.

It was formed by eight students, working with police officers PCs Vanessa Rushton and John Chapman and the Government-funded Darwen Youthworks scheme, to change the negative perception of teenagers in the community.

And this week, the project received a "highly commended" rating during the High Sheriff of Lancashire's Young Citizens' award ceremony.

Year-11 youngsters have been learning about the Second World War and what it was like to be a teenager at the time, and the elderly residents are to find out more about the teenagers and take part in history lessons.

Deputy head Dave Hallam said: "It has been a fantastic project and the children have been excellent. What they've done over the last 12 months has been really worthwhile.

"They originally turned round and said they were sick of teenagers being referred to as yobs and wanted to do something good. The old people have enjoyed having them to talk to and some of the pupils have actually said that when they leave school they'd like to continue going to Birch Hall to help out.

"The elderly residents are going to come into school and have a look around, as well as using the internet and talking to students in history classes.

"We recognise the hard work that the police and Youthworks have put into this project and are delighted by the commitment that our pupils have shown."

The students involved are Ryan Hamill, Dean Crowther, Christopher Hannon, Laura Higham, Amy Gerrard, Mickaela Vickers, Hannah Livesey, Oliver Hannan, Jak Riley and Nathan Hill.

Their hard work has been praised by the police, who nominated them for the Young Citizen award, as well as residents and staff at Birch Hall.

Peggy Holder, a 77-year-old resident, said: "The Consequences project is a fantastic idea and has provided schoolchildren with the opportunity to gain first-hand knowledge of what life was really like during the war.

"It was so much fun reminiscing and sharing my cherished memories with such interested children.

PC Vanessa Rushton, youth involvement officer, said: "We are very proud that that Consequences group at Darwen Vale have been nominated for the award and it is justification for all the hard work that the young people have put into the project.

"The Consequences project aims to develop young people by working with other sections of the community and, given the opportunity, it's amazing to see how much they can achieve."