SCHOOLCHILDREN from across the region have taken part in an electric car endurance race.

Teams from 14 schools entered the North-East heat of the Greenpower 2005 Electric Car Series at Croft Circuit, near Darlington.

Pupils were invited to build a 24-volt electric racing car and drive it for six hours continuously.

Teams of six drivers and six pit crew fought to keep the car going for as many miles as possible.

The race was run over a one-mile oval section of the main circuit at Croft and the cars reached speeds of up to 35mph.

Barry Shears, director of Greenpower, the not-for-profit company which organised the race, said: "It poured with rain the whole day and the kids got soaked - but they were fantastic and never gave up.

"Fourteen cars started the race and 14 just about finished."

Mr Shears added: "The sole objective of the race was to encourage pre-GCSE students to take an interest in engineering."

The race was won by a team from Teesdale School, in Barnard Castle, County Durham, which kept its car going for 114 miles.

A team from Dixons City Technology College, in Bradford, came second, and Ripon Grammar school third.

All three teams will now compete in the national final, at Goodwood, West Sussex, on Sunday, October 16.