FOUR youngsters are preparing for a dream trip to the US after winning this year's University of Sunderland science quiz.

Monkwearmouth School pupils beat off competition from teams across the region to win the Hostage to Fortune quiz.

Ryan Dixon, 15, Gary McGuinness and Joe Robson, both 14, and Paul Gorringe, 13, are looking forward to a seven-day break in Florida, where they will visit attractions such as Epcot, the Kennedy Space Centre, and Universal Studios.

The quiz was open to schools across the North-East, as part of the university's popular Bright Sparks science club.