A SIXTHFORMER who designed a trailer bike for his younger brother with Downs Syndrome was among the young inventors who showed off their work at an exhibition in Abingdon.

Will Carey, a pupil at Cherwell School, Oxford, made the bike with help from Cresswell Engineering and Pashley Cycles.

The Oxford Trust, a charity which promotes science and technology, gave the students grants totalling £3,500 to work on their projects with industrial partners.

Other inventions with a caring theme included an electronic puzzle for blind children designed by Bobi Richardson from Marlborough School, Woodstock, sponsored by Wychwood Electronics.

Claire Penny, of Oxford School, had help from Moss Plastic Parts of Kidlington for her reading aid to help children with learning difficulties to read small-print reference books. Darren Thomas, from Lord Williams's School, Thame, designed a children's pedal-powered Land Rover, with help from Ivan Dutton. Rover helped Ben Barrington Groves, of St Birinus, Didcot, to design a new petrol-cap holder and Acrona Engineering, of Yarnton, helped Stuart Walters, of the Marlborough School, Woodstock, to build a cycle and wheelchair repair stand. The 40 projects included an electronic bite alarm for anglers and an adaptor that changes the sound of a voice coming out of a microphone.

Chris Davies, of St Birinus, designed a universal remote control system - for the ultimate couch potato.

Three £50 prizes went to St Edward's School pupil Tristan Powlett Smith for his kite-powered boat; Simon Church of Radley College, for his fastener for joining cardboard sheets; GCSE student Darren Thomas of Lord Williams School, Thame, for his pedal Land Rover. Claire Penny and Richard Brown, both of Oxford School, shared a £50 prize for working well with their industrial partners.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.