Team in blue are from Roysia Middle School Royston with their effort L-R.....Abbie Robinson.... Lucy Huffer.....,Emma Jefferis and......William Smith

A TECHNOLOGY tournament pitting innovative pupils from schools in-and-around Royston against each other took place last week.

Team in Greneway School (green Sweaters) at work L-R James May,....Matthew Richer.......Ellie Beed and Kaitlin Saward

The youngsters had to design and create a working model of a coin sorting machine.

And were judged on putting together a portfolio on the making of the models and their creative skills in design and technology.

Chief judge, Derek Pinner, praised all that took part saying they did “exceptionally well”.

Schools represented in the competition were from Roysia, Greneway and Meridian School in Royston and Edwinstree and Ralph Sadleir in Buntingford.

Meridian School and Freman College, Buntingford also entered a team each.

The competition was The Rotary Club of Royston’s brainchild and Mr Pinner, rotarian and a former engineer, said the teams had applied “good application” in solving the problems and had displayed “scientific principles” in creating their working models.

After working during the day on the problems at the Cambridge Motel in Shepreth, the teams then had to demonstrate their expertise.

The tournament was supported by North Herts District Council, Johnson Matthey plc and TTP in Melbourn.

Rotary Club of Royston president Neil Haywood described the event as an “undoubted success”.

A team from Roysia School won the lower school competition and the Meridian sixth-from the upper school contest.

Johnson Matthey plc honoured a team from Roysia School as the most innovative.