Students from the University of Cumbria have described an emotional trip to Belgium's First World War battlefields as "surreal" and "overwhelming".

The group visited Ypres, in West Flanders, where several battles were fought between 1914 and 1918 and thousands of men from both sides lost their lives.

The trip was organised by Sue Temple, the university's programme leader for the primary education degree with qualified teacher status.

Natalia Thompson, a student from Maryport, was also chosen to lay a wreath at the Menin Gate, as part of a memorial service that the students attended.

Her great-great uncle, Charles Brown, is listed as one of the missing on the Menin Gate memorial and she was asked to read out the dedication by the master of ceremonies.

Miss Temple said: "Natalia is quite a quiet and shy young lady but she was delighted she had done this."

It is not the first time that students enrolled on the three-year primary education course have visited battlefields at Ypres, which also includes those studying at Leeds Trinity University.

"It made me very thoughtful - who were they? What family did they leave behind?" said Jess Thompson, reflecting on the trip.

"The impact of standing between the thousands of graves is quite overwhelming. It made me very grateful and appreciate even more what they have done for a better world."

Sammie Stanger added: "I think it really made you realise the impact the First World War had.

"With us not having the battlefields and cemeteries here, I think we don't quite realise the scale and effect it had on people. Actually standing where people had fought and died for their country is such a proud but sad experience.

"Seeing the cemeteries really opens your eyes to the amount of people who lost their lives and how they were from every walk of life but fought together for the same thing. It really was an eye-opening experience."

Five battles were fought in Ypres during World War One, with the First Battle of Ypres - between October 19 and November 22, 1914 - claiming more than 100,000 casualties.

The Second Battle of Ypres, between April 22 and May 15, 1915 involved the first mass use of poison gas by the German army. The greatest number of casualties were sustained during the Battle of Passchendaele between July 31 and November 10, 1917 when between 400,000 and 800,000 people were reported killed, wounded or missing.