MORE than 30 air cadets and staff were put through their paces on an adventure training weekend.

Cadets from the 2187 Canvey Island Squadron got a chance to practice skills such as camp craft, map-reading, first aid, camouflage and concealment, as well as various team and leadership exercises.

The squadron goes away on several weekends each year, which helps towards their Duke of Edinburgh Award and first aid badges.

Commanding Officer, Flt Lt Nick Weston, said: "Adventure training weekends are a great way for the cadets to put into practice the skills they have learnt, in a different environment. Although it's great fun, the pressure really is on them all weekend and it's good to see how their leadership and team skills develop. It literally is character building stuff."

The Air Training Corps is the cadet force of the RAF, and cadets aged 13 to 20 regularly go flying, gliding, adventure training and on camps both in the UK and overseas.

They meet every Monday and Friday evening between 7.15pm and 9.45pm at the Drill Hall in Runnymede Road.

The corps is looking for new members, so anyone interested in joining as an Air Cadet or adult volunteer member of staff, can go along on any parade evening for a chat, or visit www. canvey-aircadets.org.uk for more details.