A new mobile app that will help stranded students get home safely is among the winners of a university technology competition.

Oxford Brookes University launched a contest for students to come up with ideas for apps they would like it to develop.

More than 300 ideas were put forward, looking at everything from accessing bus timetables to analysing what couples say to each other.

Five designs will be developed into apps.

One of the winners was 27-year-old motorsport technology student Andy Spencer.

He came up with an idea relating to the safety bus, a joint initiative between both Oxford’s universities to offer students a lift home.

Mr Spencer, who lives in Wheatley, said: “In my first year, I drove the safety bus and the majority of people that rung up were freshers who were often really drunk. They didn’t know where they were and you had to get them to describe what’s around them.

“Most modern phones have GPS built in so the idea is the app locates their position. You can call the bus by pressing a button and it will give the safety bus drivers your location.”

He said he came up with about 20 different app ideas but only submitted three, and was pleased his would become a reality.

Mr Spencer said: “Once it’s up and running it will be a massive improvement in safety for students.”

Other winning ideas included psychology student Mona Sakr’s app, which analyses couples’ conversations.

Marketing management student Rebecca Hunter came up with a reference app for businesses while history and politics student Matthew Collier’s app related to students’ unions. Trainee teacher Emma McDonald’s app reports faults with PCs.

Ben Barry, head of business partnerships for Oxford Brookes Information Solutions, described the range as “phenomenal”.

He said: “We were aware we had technology students who could in fact develop their own apps, but most of our students would not know how and would not particularly want to find out.

“We wanted the competition to be open to everyone and the range of ideas was quite impressive.

“It showed people had really thought about what apps could do.”

The university already has one app, which directs students to the nearest free computer, and is looking at developing an interactive campus map.

The plan is for the five winning apps to be developed and launched in time for the beginning of the academic year in September, although Mr Barry admitted that the technology department was still trying to work out how the software would work for Ms Sakr’s conversation analysis idea.

The apps would be made available through Android and iOS (for iPhone) platforms and would be free to students.

As well as seeing their ideas turned into reality, the winning students will also receive an iPad at a presentation on Friday, June 15.