A student has been praised for his "extraordinary spirit of resilience” after he was able to complete a Duke of Edinburgh expedition alongside his friends, using an all-terrain mobility scooter.

Aiden, who attends Castle Manor Academy in Haverhill, has cerebral palsy which affects his mobility and makes walking difficult.

He uses a standard scooter on flat ground, but this would have been no match for the terrain he experienced when he opted to join fellow students on the school's 10th Duke of Edinburgh Bronze expedition - which saw the group trek around Clare and surrounding villages.

His hopes of taking part in the expedition came to fruition after the donation of an all-terrain scooter from Nayland Mobility, a company based in the village near Sudbury. 

Becky Baldwin, a teacher at Castle Manor, said: “Any Duke of Edinburgh expedition poses a significant challenge for any teenager as they are hiking for six hours, carrying their kit and camping overnight.

“But Aiden’s journey stood out for its extraordinary spirit of resilience and community support.

“With the generous contribution from Nayland Mobility, Aiden was not only able to complete the expedition but to do so independently alongside his friends, making the weekend a memorable success.”

She praised the support Aiden received from his fellow students with the team engaging in trial runs around the school grounds and said his friends played a "crucial role" in his experience.

“Their support was invaluable, showing that true friendship goes hand-in-hand with teamwork," she said.

“I am so proud of all students and staff involved for working together to make this expedition possible.”

Reflecting on the weekend, Aiden said: "Without the scooter, I wouldn’t have been able to complete my DofE expedition and be with my friends.”