TWENTY students at Shebbear College have been given the opportunity to study an unusual additional GCSE subject.

At the start of the academic year, the college started its astronomy club for Year 9 and 10 students. The course is being run during the college's after-school activity programme and will last for two years.

Interest in the club was extremely high. The course covers the solar system and also looks into deeper space, studying distant galaxies.

Students will be given as many opportunities as possible to use the college's brand new telescope to study the stars directly.

The group started to meet after half-term, and will continue to meet into the New Year.