Pupils battle it out in technology tournament

The competition, with classes for foundation, intermediate and advanced, was staged at The Frontier in Batley.

Teams, who learned of their task only at the start of the contest, had two hours to create a vehicle that would power itself along a suspended cable.

Groups of the same age competed against each other and were tasked to either make their car go forward, reverse or transport and drop off a load.

Woodkirk Academy impressed the judges and took the honours for the advanced category.

Heckmondwike Grammar School won the intermediate and basic sections. Ten other high schools in the district also took part last Tuesday.

The awards were presented by Kirklees Council deputy mayor Ken Smith, mayoress councillor Christine Smith and marketing manager at The Mill, in Batley, Paula Hammerton.

Trish Makepeace, of Dewsbury Rotary Club, who is one of the main organisers, said: “The day was absolutely wonderful.

“The event gets everyone working together, helps build leadership and improves communication skills.

“The event also helps encourage people to look at engineering, which needs more people to consider it as a career path.”

The tournament was organised by nine Rotary clubs in the area known as the ‘inner nine clubs’, including Dewsbury, Mirfield, Batley, Birstall Luddites, Cleckheaton, Heckmondwike, Morley, Ossett and Horbury and Ossett Phoenix.

Mrs Makepeace said she was grateful to the Frontier club and Dewsbury and Batley area committees who sponsored the event.