A teenager has decided to defer her place at university to allow her to travel across the world to teach English at a secondary school.

Lottie Apsey, 19, from Harpenden, is about to fly out to Kelantan, in Malaysia, for eight months, after raising more than £5,000 to fund the trip.

Lottie, who was set to study biology at university, has instead taken up a volunteering opportunity, arranged by the educational charity, Project Trust.

She was able to raise the money to cover flights, training, insurance, and living costs, with a school concert and themed dinner.

The Rotary in Harpenden also helped with the fundraising, donating £500 which was matched by the Rotary District.

Lottie, a former St George’s School pupil, said: “I’ve always been willing to step out of my comfort zone and challenge myself and that’s what my eight months in Malaysia will mean. I’ll have to learn a completely new language and get to grips with very different cultures, given the country’s mix of Malays, Chinese and Indians.

“But I’m sure it’s going to be a worthwhile experience for me. At the same time I’ll be helping the students to learn not just the English language but something of our culture.”