STUDENTS have been putting their engineering skills to the test in the first of a series of innovative workshops.

Two dozen pupils from Woodham Community Technology College, in Newton Aycliffe, attended the South West Durham Training workshop, on the town's industrial estate yesterday.

The pupils were joined by apprentices in a challenge to build an electric car and model bridge out of oversized Lego bricks, gears and pulleys.

Training officer Marina Smith said: "We divide them into groups of six and each group does a separate function - for example gears, pulleys or electrics.

"By the end of the afternoon, they all get together with the individual parts they have built and they end up with a car.

"It then goes along a bridge, built from aluminium, and by using the gear and pulley system they can lift and drop items to get from one side to the other."

There will be a series of workshops throughout the month, involving students from Tudhoe Grange Comprehensive, St Leonard's in Durham, Ferryhill School and Spennymoor Comprehensive.

Mrs Smith said: "The students get some basic engineering and fabrication skills, but a lot of it is to do with working with others and learning to work in teams.