Pupils at a west Oxfordshire college are rising to the challenge of designing and racing scale racing cars.

This will be the first time Carterton Community College has entered a team in the Formula Schools 2000 race. A total of 25 schools will be lining up next March on a special track at Silverstone.

Designing, building, testing and racing the cars will involve hundreds of 14 to 16-year-olds interested in a career in engineering.

The competition is run by the Heart of England Training and Enterprise Council.

Rob Austin, who is co-ordinating the contest, said: "This is the first time Carterton has entered a team and we are expecting them to make a very strong challenge.

"The original purpose of this TEC initiative was to encourage those at secondary schools to get involved with every facet of engineering through the exciting world of motor sport."