A presenter from BBC children’s show Blue Peter is being taught how to kitesurf by an Exmouth watersports academy.

Helen Skelton is spending the week with Edge Watersports, which is giving her intensive training for a programme which will be shown this winter.

She is being taught by Ned Taylor, the British kitesurfing champion, who works as an Edge Watersports instructor, and Ollie Bridge, the son of Edge Watersports owner Steph Bridge.

This will not be the first time Ollie has appeared on Blue Peter, as, along with his two brothers, he taught Helen’s fellow presenter, Andy Akinwolere, how to kitesurf last year.

Helen is also no stranger to a challenge, having previously completed a 2,000-mile Amazon kayak to raise money for Sport Relief.

Steph Bridge said: “We’re teaching Helen all aspects of kitesurfing, starting on land and progressing to the water.

“We’re teaching her all about going along safely and all about carrying out an expedition, as we’ve been involved with planning several of those ourselves.

“She’s done well so far - people think kitesurfing is an easy sport, but there’s a lot to learn.

“She’s got a challenge to do on Friday, which is quite ambitious, and we’re keeping our fingers crossed that she’s up to it.”

Helen is being filmed throughout the week, and her lessons in the Exe Estuary are expected to fill half an hour of screen time.

Steph said: “It’s good for Exmouth, as the film crew have been spending money here and a lot of Exmouth businesses will be appearing on screen.

“It’s good to put the place on the map.”

Blue Peter assistant producer Gavin Barclay said: “We’re having a great time in Exmouth – we’ve been lucky with the weather and the conditions have been excellent for kitesurfing.”

“Hopefully, Helen will have mastered kitesurfing by the end of the week.”