They've got wings: Navy gives schoolchildren's glider designs a test flight in competition final

Gliders designed by schoolchildren have taken flight with some help from the Royal Navy in the Yeovil regional final of the Flying Start Challenge.

Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton brought in children from three local regions to take part in the finals of their competition which saw the creation of student-designed gliders being tested.

"The challenge gives children a healthy sense of competition to get excited about and a sense of achievement through designing, building and testing their own guilder designs," said Chief Petty Officer Stephen Collins, Yeovilton's STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) ambassador.

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The competition is held to inspire young people into starting a career in the aerospace industry.

Andrew Paterson, a graduate mechanical engineer from aerospace company Leonardo, said: "The Flying Start Challenge is a way for us to provide social value to the local community.

"This is our potential future workforce, so to get them to start thinking about STEM and that it is something they can do, is a great opportunity.

"It is great to work with Royal Navy personnel, especially the STEM volunteers.

"It provides an exciting backdrop for the students, and when you're that age getting onto a Royal Navy military base for the day is just great."

The victors of the competition were the students of Buckler's Mead Academy who claimed first place in the fly-off of The Yeovil Regional Final 23/24.

They were presented with certificates marking their success by Commander Polly Hatchard.

Children aged between 11 and 14 from 13 different schools took part in the event, which included support from staff at Leonardo who helped put on the competition.