Pupils were challenged to design a theme park ride from a huge box of construction materials.

Joseph McDonagh and Michael Thomas

Working in pairs, nine and ten-year-olds at Harwell Primary School produced ferris wheels, swings and fairground rides. They came up with the creations as part of a national competition using the construction kit, called K'Nex.

Frances Waters, of the Oxford Trust which is co-ordinating the competition in Oxfordshire, said: "All over the county, schoolchilren have been creating wonderful theme park rides. We had a tremendous range of ideas."

The headteacher of Harwell primary, Peter Cansell, said the event had "looked great fun".

"It was also a test of the children's mathematics and design skills," he said.