You've heard of the face that launched a thousand ships. Now a school is looking for 500 faces to launch one miniature motor car.

Motorsports enthusiasts at St Gregory the Great School, in Cricket Road, East Oxford, are taking part in a challenge to design and race a remote-controlled petrol and electric car.

As well as honing their technical abilities, the youngsters have decided to exercise their charitable sides - by offering people the chance to pay £1 to have their face on the side of the car and raise money for Roman Catholic aid charity Cafod.

Lewis Norwood, 11, is pictured front with the sprint car and fellow pupils at Oxford's Westgate Centre.

Design and technology teacher David Johnson said: "At the moment we have only got about 20 faces, mostly from staff, but we are hoping to raise £500. We could probably even fit 1,000 faces if there was enough interest."

It is the third time the school has entered the Formula Schools competition, which sees 100 schools racing cars on a mini track at Silverstone.