Four remarkable young people from Pembrokeshire have made local history after becoming the county's first wheelchair users to successfully complete the prestigious Gold Duke of Edinburgh's (DofE) Award.

The group of students from Portfield School in Haverfordwest are a mixture of wheelchair users and those using sticks and walkers.

The students, who have a range of mobility needs and include wheelchair users as well as young people who walk independently or with the support of walking sticks, completed the Award after an incredible four-year journey through the Bronze, Silver and Gold levels of the DofE programme.

The group recently completed their Gold qualifying expedition in Carmarthenshire, where they demonstrated incredible determination, resilience and teamwork.

They stayed at Caban in Pendine for the expedition, a great facility that provided access and facilities for the wheelchair users.

On the first day, the students completed a 1.7-mile walk around Llŷn Llech Owain Country Park, a significant achievement and a positive start to the expedition.

The second day saw the group visit the Museum of Land Speed at Pendine, where they learned about the famous land speed record attempts on Pendine Sands before heading onto the beach to explore rock pools and caves, investigate the issue of microplastics and complete a long walk along the shoreline despite strong winds.

The greatest challenge came on day three, when the students achieved their longest distance ever, travelling an incredible 2.4 miles in a single day in Pembrey Country Park.

Reaching the two-mile milestone had been a long-term goal for the group and represented years of hard work, perseverance and determination.

The expedition concluded in beautiful weather, with all participants successfully completing their Gold Award. Next stop - Buckingham Palace!

DofE Leader at Portfield School, Claire Sommerville, said: "I am incredibly proud of what these young people have achieved. Over four years, they have shown determination, resilience and a willingness to challenge themselves at every stage of their DofE journey.

“As the first group of young people with significant physical disabilities in Pembrokeshire to achieve their Gold Award, they have set a fantastic example and should be immensely proud of their success."