West Lakes Academy students have won a science and engineering competition and will travel to Birmingham to take part in the Big Bang Science Fair next month.

The Big Bang competition, organised by Sellafield Ltd, challenged student teams to design a bridge which was set in a local town.

There were budget and time frame constraints in addition to environmental and building cost considerations.

Pupils were provided with straws and a ruler but had to "buy" other materials using a budget.

Points were awarded for how much weight the bridge would hold, environmental quality and how much money was saved.

Six year nine students from the Egremont academy fought off competition from three other local schools at the competition held at Lakes College, Lillyhall.

The school team won the prize fund of £1,000 and the chance to attend the Big Bang UK Young Scientists and Engineers Fair in March, where students will have the opportunity to get involved with activities and to meet employers, universities and other organisations.

One of the students, Luke Pae, said: “I found the event really enjoyable, it taught us how to use our education in a practical setting. Having the opportunity to attend the Big Bang Fair next month is really exciting, I’m looking forward to taking part in such a large scale event.”

"The team worked together really well, we all had our own clear roles and this helped us to work more efficiently.

"There was some strong competition from the other teams but the design of our bridge ensured it was strong and sturdy and we also took into account safety features. We were really shocked and happy that we won, Christina Smith added.

Hugo Graham, a science teacher at West Lakes Academy said: “The purpose of the competition and the science fair in Birmingham is to inspire, engage and challenge pupils and to open their eyes to the possibilities of a career in STEM.

"I’m over the moon about how well our pupils did. They thoroughly deserved it, they worked really hard, the teamwork was exceptional and they had fun in the process. They’re looking forward to what comes next. I’m so pleased that these opportunities exist, and that Sellafield was able to put on this competition.”

The Big Bang Fair is the largest celebration of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) for young people in the UK.

The winning West Lakes Academy team were: Sasha Shaw; Benedict McLoughlin; Daniel Huddart; Christina Smith; Imy Marsh and Luke Pae.