YOUNG would-be engineers from Newton Abbot have been putting their skills to the test in a Royal Navy-led racing competition.

Students teamed up with the branch of the armed forces in a national competition racing model cars which they created.

The Newton Abbot College group were the first in the South West to use the BBC micro: bit mini-computer to complete the challenge last month.

The racing car project comes under the Government-backed STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) initiative to address the national shortage of scientists and engineers.

Royal Navy is especially interested in the scheme because it means recruiting new personnel.

Lieutenant Paul Youngman, who oversaw the race, said: ‘It is great to see all of the students getting involved.

‘This is the right age to capture an interest in STEM subjects and projects like Race for the Line event positively promote these important curriculum subjects.

‘The Newton Abbot students were excellent and we really did ignite their enthusiasm.’

Year 7 students from the college investigated aerodynamics, speed and acceleration to create their foam vehicles.

Their rocket-powered cars were raced through a series of time gates, providing data which will be analysed in their maths and science lessons.

More than 400 schools up and down the country have signed up to the initiative which will see the winners of the heats battle it out in the finals at Devonport in April.

Student Daizie-Mae Blyth said: ‘Creating the racing cars in lessons was really fun.

‘It took about four lessons to finish them and get them ready for racing.

‘The practical learning made the ideas of aerodynamics easier to understand and it was great to take our learning out of the classroom.’

She added: ‘Having the Royal Navy here was very exciting and it has all been so much fun.’