GIRLS are aiming to beat all-comers in a traditionally male-dominated field – robotics.

Fifteen girls from Headington School attended the launch of the national Student Robotics competition at Southampton University on Saturday.

And in a mini-competition aimed at testing their skills, they came first out of a field of nearly 30 schools.

Now the girls have seven months to build their own robot, capable of carrying out tasks on its own without supervision.

Delia Gander, 17, from Oxford, said: “We have to decide our strategy and then build the robot.

“It will be able to pick up boxes and put them down again.”

Molly Todd, 18, right with Jenny Wark, left, and Alba Landra, said: “We are brand new to the competition.”