A STUDENT from Tavistock College will soon be giving up his spare time to travel to Cambodia as part of a UK volunteering programme.

Jamie Toms Bird, 16, will be visiting the remote areas of the country that are not benefited by tourism to help people that are suffering from poverty, disease or environmental disasters.

Jamie said: 'I'm quite excited, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I haven't been around the world much before apart from a trip to Japan last year.'

Camps International, the organisation running the trip, hosts a range of different gap year and school expedition programmes for young people around the world.

As well as helping the community by caring for the weak, improving livestock, teaching, repairing damage from environmental disasters and building houses, water sources and schools, the youngsters will be experiencing the largest religious temple in the world.

Jamie, who runs a local paper round, informed residents of his trip and reassured them that their papers would be covered until his return!

He added: 'I'm looking forward to helping the community, seeing the smiles on people's faces when we build new schools and water supplies and getting in with the community.'