PUPILS from Wheatlands Primary School in Redcar have won a major science competition.

The school beat off fierce competition from schools in Yorkshire and Northumberland to win the Science Challenge - a national competition in which more than 7,000 pupils were involved.

The three-stage contest was organised by the Association for Science Education (ASE) and sponsored by BNFL, which operates Britain's fleet of Magnox nuclear power stations.

Wheatlands Primary was chosen to attend the Fun Day Finals of Science Challenge at Leeds University after submitting an outstanding classroom project to the ASE.

In the finals, pupils completed a set science investigation and presented a drama on shadows featuring the Shadow Detectives. They then took part in a special hands-on quiz related to the Science National Curriculum.

The teams were neck and neck, but Wheatlands' quiz team of Robert Annis, Jordan Martin and Beth Taylor pulled clear during the quiz. Wheatlands won the Science Challenge amethyst trophy and £200.