Solihull School army cadet Leticia Salmon found the answer to raising money for an African mountaineering and charity challenge in a tea cup.

The 16-year-old corporal in the School’s Combined Cadet Corps raised £1,300 to take part in Exercise Kenya Venturer this summer after turning her home into a tea shop.

The proceeds, added to those from other fundraising, also netted £900 towards the funding of much-needed new buildings for Thangathi Primary School which Leticia will be helping to build with other cadets during the expedition.

More than 70 supporters, including Solihull Mayor Joe Tildesley and his wife and Lady Mayoress Joan Tildesley, tucked into the full afternoon teas served up by Leticia.

Leticia made more than 100 pots of tea and served over 1,000 homemade cakes and sandwiches for over six hours - and even ran a raffle for a dozen donated prizes.

As the highest ranked girl in her year at Solihull School, Leticia is one of 42 cadets that have been selected from 800 applicants to join the British Army led initiative.

The expedition will include a six-day climb of Mount Kenya and white water rafting, as wells as assisting with the Thangathi Primary School building project.

Leticia said: “The whole day was a great success. All the running around serving, cleaning tables and making endless pots of tea was worth the effort - and a huge thank you must go to all those who supported the event.”

Leticia is one of 25 girls in Solihull School’s CCF – 18 in the army section and seven in the RAF section – out of a total of 105 cadets.