Edinburgh’s historic architecture has helped to inspire teenagers to learn the skilled trades used to preserve the capital’s buildings.

Ten S4 pupils from the city’s Drummond Community High School have completed a training course in plastering, marbling, joinery and stonemasonry.

They received their certificates for taking part in the Heritage Skills programme at a special event in the City Chambers on Thursday, December 15.

Maureen McGinn, the recently-appointed chair of the Big Lottery Fund's Scotland Committee, presented the pupils with their certificate and Cllr Jim Lowrie, Convener of the City of Edinburgh Council's Planning Committee, congratulated them on their achievements.

The Heritage Skills training is a unique course and due its popularity when it was first run in March 2011, the partners have run this second course, which was attended by the S4 pupils over seven weeks.

The course was delivered by Telford College in collaboration with Citadel Youth Centre, The Junction, Edinburgh World Heritage, Historic Scotland and City of Edinburgh Council. It has been part-financed by Heritage Lottery Fund through the Leith Townscape Heritage Initiative.

City Planning Leader, Cllr Jim Lowrie, said: "Well done to all the pupils who have passed their heritage skills training. This is an inspiring and worthwhile course that is equipping young people with important skills that will help protect our historic buildings into the future."

This event also marked the start of other traditional skills courses being run from Telford College between January and March 2012 for young people not in Employment Education or Training in the North of Edinburgh.