ARMY equipment that saved thousands of lives in Iraq and Afghanistan has been helping North Yorkshire schoolchildren with their lessons.

Vallon detectors were used on operations to search for potentially fatal explosive devices - but pupils from Risedale Sports and Community College used them to search for treasure.

Under the supervision of Sergeant Major Mark Hill they learnt how to sweep for objects in a large field at Catterick Garrison - and turned up a variety of metal bits and pieces.

“Learning how to operate a metal detector helps the pupils learn about geography, geology, physics, electricity and electronics,” said Sgt Maj Hill.

The college’s student support manager for learning years 7 to 11, Helen Porritt, said the pupils had enjoyed the metal detecting.

“They have been buzzing about this activity all week and have had lots of fun,” she said.

“As well as the links to their school work, they have found lots of buried ‘treasure’. We don’t know how old it is yet – we will have to find that out when it is all cleaned up.”