Ref.10200CHIPPENHAM schoolgirl Gemma Evans has got a place on an explorative trip to South Africa where she hopes to study the habits of vultures.

Adventurer Emma, 17, who is a pupil at Hardenhuish School, is heading to the independent kingdom of Lesotho, in the heart of South Africa, for the summer.

She will be trekking across an inhospitable and mountainous region of the tiny country with ten other students to help conduct a survey of the nesting sites and flight patterns of bearded vultures.

Gemma of Bream Close, Calne, said: "I've always been interested in animals and we're going to a really remote area, which will be a tremendous challenge.

"I've been training hard to get my fitness levels up because we will be walking long distances with heavy packs."

The trip has been organised by the British Schools Exploration Society.