A group of Welsh Baccalaureate students are doing their bit for the environment by clearing up the coastal path.

GCSE students from the City of Newport Coleg Gwent campus are volunteering with the Welsh Assembly funded Newport and Monmouthshire Coastal Access Project.

They will be regularly helping to clear and maintain paths to and along the coast near Newport, starting this morning.

Tutor Julie Benson said a large part of the WBQ looks at the local environment and how to protect it.

As well as working on the paths, the pupils will be teaming up with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds at Newport Wetlands to promote awareness of the centre.

They will be taking part in a sponsored walk later in the year to raise money for the organisation.

Ms Benson said: "The students have really engaged with both initiatives and they link together well - we hope to undertake the sponsored walk for the RSPB on the coastal path when it's completed."

The Welsh Baccalaureate is available to 14-19 year olds in Wales, and combines traditional qualifications such as A Levels and GCSEs with personal development skills.

For more information on the coastal access project visit www.monmouthshire.gov.uk.