STUDENTS at a North-East school are celebrating after winning the regional heat of a technology competition.

Two teams from Tanfield School, near Stanley, County Durham, came top in the recent Vex Robotics Competition at the Gateshead College Skills Academy for Sustainable Manufacturing and Innovation at Nissan, near Washington.

The year eights and year elevens will be competing nationally at the NEC in Birmingham later this month.

They had to design a robot that can fire a ball and have spent their own free time put together their mechanical masterpieces.

Paul Carr, head of design technology, said: “They give up their time to design and build their robots and they have to fire a ball into a net 12ft away.

“It is like a non-violent Robot Wars. They do not try to destroy each other. They try to outscore each other.

“As a small school this is a massive achievement for the students and I'm hugely proud of them.

“We are now looking to try and raise some sponsorship to help with the costs of attending the national finals and if we win this event students would then be invited to the world finals in Kentucky.”

To sponsor the young people get in touch with Mr Carr at the school by calling 01207-232-881.