A SCHOOLGIRL is hoping to reduce the dangers for sleepwalkers with her invention.

Hollie Walker, of Emanuel College, Gateshead, is taking part in the North-East finals of the Young Engineer of Britain competition.

Along with students from schools across the region, Hollie is hoping her invention, of a sleep-walking detector, will impress the judges, on Teesside, on Friday.

The competition, with more than £3,000 of prizes in the regional final, has attracted more than 150 young people.

The contest is organised by the Engineering Council with the support of the Engineering Employers' Federation Northern Association, which represents 300 firms in the region.

Martin Smith, of the association, said: "The entries are rolling in and we think they are even more ingenious than we have seen in previous years.

"The students really put their hearts and souls into the projects."

Other entries include a mechanical surfboard-carrier and a hydrocarbon gas detector.

The winner of last year's regional heat was a team from King's School,Tynemouth, which invented a suit-carrier for a bike.

The winner and other leading designs go through to the national final, in September.