Three teenagers have put the wheels in motion to raise the funds they need for an expedition to India.

Westlands School pupils Jayde Palmer, of Minster, and Lucy Mackenzie, of Halfway, both 14, and 13-year-old Sophie Newman, of Eastchurch, need to pay £2,295 each to go on the trip next July.

Their three-week stay will see them planting mango and oak trees and trekking through the tea plantations as they travel around the states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

They only signed up for the experience a week before they broke up for the summer holidays but already they’ve started collecting money towards the cost of it.

The trio raised £55 each in four hours by pedalling 55 miles between them on an exercise bike at Queenborough Corner service station, on Saturday.

The location was chosen as Sophie’s mum Carolyn is the manager there.

In addition, Sophie and Jayde raised a further £174 each by holding two boot fairs recently.

A collection bucket is available at Queenborough Corner service station for people to drop donations into.

Alternatively, email garyandcarrie@btinternet.com to make other arrangements to hand over cash to the girls.