Pupils making Bloodhound inspired models

Hundreds of schoolchildren across Cornwall are building their own foam Bloodhound model replicas, which will then be turned into their own jet powered supercars.

It's a race against time for the pupils at Wadebridge Primary Academy.

Tom Slater, a teacher at the school, said ''They've absolutely loved this and one of the key things that they're doing today is real life outcomes. They actually get involved with something that at the end of it that's for real.''

They've been inspired by the Bloodhound project, a supersonic car which'll attempt to set a world land speed record.

In the summer it will make test runs at Newquay Airport.

Rachel Delourme, from Cornwall Council, has organised the model car competition.

She said, ''Looking to the future of Cornwall we need advanced engineers, we need people to do software programming, computer science.''

''It's really important that girls recognise that they can have a career in computer science and in advanced engineering.''

Three weeks ago the children received a basic piece of foam and four wheels.

The children are making ten models and are testing them in the school, using elastic power.

Soon they'll be using rocket power when they compete against other schools.

Teacher Tom Slater says, ''They are going to get fitted with grade 2 rocket engines."

"So the cars will have a rocket engine placed into the rear of them and they will get remotely fired by a group of volunteers down a test track which is 16 metres long. The cars we believe will get to speeds in excess of 40mph.''

The school which makes the best model will go to South Africa to watch next year's world record attempt.

It's hoped the Bloodhound will break the one 1000mph barrier.