The youngsters from the King Edward VII, the Alderman Jackson and the Ethel Tipple special schools will compete against nearly 250 other teams in the Fieldfare Kielder Challenge.

It has been designed for 13 to 16-year- olds and there must be able-bodied children and children with disabilities in each team. The first stage of the competition will see the Lynn schools taking part in a series of team-building and problem-solving games at their own premises. Winners will go on to a regional heat at a local country park in April or May and will involve the teams competing against each other and against the clock.

At these regional heats, points are awarded for teamwork and integration and the top scorers from each region will win a place at the challenge final in September in Kielder Forest and on Kielder Water in Northumberland.

The challenge is organised by the Fieldfare Trust, a leading UK outdoor access charity, and is supported by HSBC's community support scheme.