EIGHTEEN teams of teenagers raced home-made electric cars in an environmentally-friendly endurance event yesterday.

The Greenpower Electric Car Marathon was held at Croft Circuit, near Darlington.

The six-hour race for secondary school pupils had prizes for teams that completed the most laps.

Team members, aged 13 to 16, designed and built the vehicles themselves over the past months.

Each team, of up to a dozen students - six drivers and six pit crew - was given a battery and a motor by Greenpower.

Barry Shears, national director of Greenpower, formed five years ago to run and develop the races, said: "This is to ensure a level playing field. There is an urgent need to stimulate an interest in engineering among pre-GCSE pupils.

"We hope the races will do this as well as teaching the youngsters to get on with others and work as a team."

June Windross, of North Yorkshire and Business and Education, who helped organise the event, said: "This the third time the race has come to the North.

"The winners of this regional heat at Croft will compete against the winners of other regional events in the final at Goodwood Circuit next month."

Skipton Girls' High School was first after Sweet Chariot clocked up 115 miles. Second was Dixon's Community Technology College, of Bradford, with Pop Rivet at nearly 112 miles. Both schools were awarded the Greenpower bronze award for topping 100 miles. Teesdale School was third after managing almost 98 miles.

Other results: Best presented team, Skipton Girls' High School. Fastest lap, Teesdale School (2min 49 sec). Most innovative car, King James School, Knaresborough. Greenest car, St Aidan's School, Harrogate. Perseverance Award, St Aidan's High School, Motherwell.