A RAPPER and record producer visited a school in Bridgwater to talk about drug dealing last week.

Hardy Caprio took a trip to Haygrove School to speak to Year 11 students about the risks of county lines drug dealing.

He is supporting the work of St Giles Trust, a charity which uses expertise and real-life past experiences to help people progress towards positive futures.

The singer spoke to a group of Year 11 boys for around 90 minutes alongside Luke Peters from the trust.

He spoke about his own experiences growing up in South London and the strength he had to have to navigate his way to a successful music career.

Bridgwater Mercury: Hardy Caprio

He said it was only through perseverance and determination that he was not drawn into and distracted into the criminal behaviours that, at times, surrounded him when he was a teenager.

Luke advised the boys to think carefully about how the short term gains of money and standing amongst a peer group weighs up against the long term benefits of staying true to your real and deeper ambitions, having confidence in your ability to make the right choices and committing to a positive vision for your future.