PUPILS at three of Tynedale’s high schools set their goals on becoming ‘Star Makers’ in a competition run by the district’s largest employer.

Chipboard manufacturer Egger, which has a plant in Hexham, worked with schoolchildren at the town’s Queen Elizabeth High School, Haydon Bridge High School and Prudhoe High School to launch the inaugural Great Egger Make Off.

But instead of baking cakes and other tasty treats that have become so popular due to the Great British Bake Off, the teams were challenged to put their budding engineering skills to good use by designing and building a vehicle which could transport a wooden log over a multi-terrain course of 15m in distance. Each team was given a budget of £300 to spend on the challenge.

The schools produced five teams between them and all participants were praised for their ingenuity and creativity.

Haydon Bridge High School put forward the winning team as the trio of Andrew Fenwick, Matthew Caisley and Alfie Dodd had the distinction of being crowned the first ever ‘Star Makers’.

As a result of the victory, they each received £50 worth of vouchers and a further £2,000 for their school to spend on technology equipment.

The Great Egger Make Off was the brainchild of Egger’s recruitment co-ordinator, Phil Maloney, and aimed at pupils studying STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) subjects.

The engineering competition preceded the plant’s annual apprenticeship open day which gave people looking for a career with the company a chance to find out more.