YOUNG people juggling their school work and daily lives with caring for families and loved ones were treated to a special breakfast club at Banbury Academy.

The new initiative, set to be held once a term, gave young carers at the school in Ruskin Road a chance to share their experiences and talk about the challenges they face.

In Oxfordshire more than 2,600 young carers have been identified by Oxfordshire County Council and are offered bespoke support by the council and other organisations.

Funding for the breakfast club was provided by Sanctuary Housing and Banbury Rotary Club, complementing Friday lunchtime drop-in sessions already held at the school.

In a statement on its website Banbury Academy notes that 'a number of our pupils' fulfil a caring role at home, adding: "All our students have the right to equal access to education, regardless of what is happening at home for them."