BUDDING young engineers from The County High School, Leftwich, showcased their skills to win a technology tournament.

Weaverham High School played host to the fourth year of the Rotary Club of Northwich tournament, which was aimed at 11 to 14-year-olds.

It featured two teams of four students from Weaverham High, Hartford High, County High School, Leftwich and University of Chester Academy Northwich.

The winning team comprised Ben Barrow, Ellie Locke, Lucy Standish and Joshua Watson, who, with their teacher, learning leader of design and technology, Clare Whitfield, received medals and a trophy from club president Andy Myers.

Tournament organiser Tony Rowe said: “This is the fourth year Northwich Rotary has organised this tournament, and the feedback from the schools is very positive.

“The day is very challenging for the students as they have to think on their feet, work as a team and produce a working mechanism against the clock.

“Most of all it’s about broadening their design and technology experience in an environment where the emphasis is on enjoying themselves and having fun.”

The tournament is accredited by the British Science Association to the CREST Discovery Awards, and all participating students will receive CREST Discovery Certificates, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Northwich.

Teams had been told to bring along a set list of tools and they would be designing and building a mechanism to complete a designated task. They were not told in advance what the task would be.

At the start of the day the students were told they were members of a team of engineers involved in the design, construction and testing of a vehicle which would crawl inside a pipeline, clearing debris on its way.

Provided with card, drinking straws, an electric motor, wire, wooden pulleys, string, dowel, drawing pins, elastic bands and aluminium foil, they were faced with constructing a model of their vehicle.

Fixed to their vehicle would be a logo for the charity of their choice, designed by them.

Teams also had to produce portfolios describing how the design was arrived at, diagrams and working sketches and challenges they had to overcome.