THREE of the region’s universities went head to head in a design competition.

Students from Durham, Teesside and Sunderland contested the regional final of the IMechE Undergraduate Design Challenge.

They were challenged to design a small vehicle capable of climbing up and down a pipe carrying a chain, with a £20 budget.

The event, held at Durham on Wednesday (April 22), featured presentations, a poster competition and a race of the students’ vehicles.

The race winners were Sunderland, who will compete in the national final in London in October. Teesside will also attend, as runners-up.

The Durham team won the poster and presentation sections.

Organisers said the event had gone very well.