A new zest for fitness is sweeping Hermitage Academy as pupils discover the benefits of indoor rowing.

Students are are flocking to the PE department at lunchtimes three times a week to boost their fitness levels on the rowing machines.

Their enthusiasm has been boosted by the school's success in the Scottish Rowing Competition at Motherwell with the school bringing home multiple medals and an overall second place ranking in Scotland.

The Academy's focus this year on indoor rowing has been supported Active Schools, a national programme in partnership with Sportscotland.

Its aim is to provide more and higher quality opportunities to take part in sport and physical activity before school, during lunch and after school, to develop effective pathways between schools and sports clubs in the local community.

The Active Schools team are a service in the new Live Argyll Trust which works to deliver leisure and library services across Argyll and Bute.

The team's aim is to get "more kids, more active, more often".

The school entered the Scottish Rowing Indoor League and had great success, with over 150 pupils coming along throughout the course of term one to log their best times on the rowing machine for their age group for the competition.

The Scottish rowing competition ran over four rounds, with the first three being based in the school with results being uploaded online to Scottish Rowing, to gain ranking as a school and individually in year groups across Scotland.

The final round was held at the Scottish Indoor Championships at Ravenscraig Regional Sports Facility in Motherwell.

Martin Caldwell, the Active Schools co-ordinator with Live Argyll, told the Advertiser the final event saw over 160 pupils competing on the day, of which 42 were from Hermitage Academy.

He added: "The pupils performed fantastically at the event with multiple medals being brought home, and the school bringing back an overall second place ranking in Scotland.

"Due to the sterling performances, there was a real buzz for indoor rowing in the school after the championships, and Mr MacAulay in the PE department, has done a great job to keep this momentum going, allowing pupils to come down three lunchtimes per week to practise.

"Due to the high uptake for this and the fantastic results they gained when competing, Active Schools managed to get funding, alongside some help from the school’s PTA, to get the school two new rowing machines.

"The result of having these new machines in the gym has meant more pupils can row at the one time, giving more opportunities to pupils to stay fit and healthy."