STUDENTS took a masterclass in urban athletics to springboard their creative talents – and the result was poetry in motion.

Pupils at Risedale Sports and Community College in Catterick Garrison leapt to the challenge of expressing themselves through the physical sport of parkour – and then used the experience to develop their writing and language skills.

Developed in France in the late 1980s, parkour, sometimes known as free running, is based on jumping, climbing, swinging, vaulting and rolling movements over indoor or outdoor obstacles.

Teacher Selina Brierly said: “Our English department selected 18 year nine students who they felt would benefit from learning a new physical exercise which they could then use to help in their discussion and writing work.

“All of the pupils have been really engaged in the activity and their confidence, not only in their own physical ability but also in their creative language, has really grown.

“They have all worked hard to translate their experience into words and ideas that has really helped to support their poetry writing skills.”

The project saw the students coached by three parkour experts before focusing their experience in creative writing and photography lessons.