Business owners from around the UK have praised the skills, knowledge and abilities of the students at Falmouth Marine School at the annual Industry Day event.

Fifteen businesses attended the fair, held at the National Maritime Museum, to meet and interview students as they prepare for the tourist season in 2016.

Paul Currel from Travel Company Mark Warner said: "This is the second year running I have attended this event and it is great because it is quite specific towards water sports which as an employer is what you want. The students I have met today are passionate and clearly want to be involved in the industry.”

The water sport students were joined this year by a group studying marine biology at Falmouth Marine School and the adventure sport students from Duchy College Stoke Climsland.

Marine biology student Abigail Barker said: "Today has been really informative; it has been fun becoming aware of what's out there. It makes everything we learn on the course more real. I moved 300 miles to come and study at FMS and I don't regret it at all.”

The day was also a chance for former students to return to Falmouth, representing the companies they work for now or their own businesses. Nick Tranter graduated with an FdSc in marine leisure management in 2009. He was representing Voyager Adventures and said: "We have spoken to some great students today who we will be giving an interview too. It is great to be in a room full of enthusiastic students looking to be involved in the industry.”