A trio of talented students from a Great Cornard school have reached the national final of a rocket-powered model car contest.

The team of Year 7 pupils from Thomas Gainsborough School – Thomas Tullin, Rebakah White and Megan Hermon – will be travelling to the Santa Pod Raceway, in Podington, near Wellingborough, on June 29 for the Race for the Line competition.

The young pupils will be up against 29 other teams from across the country after entering the competition at the start of the year.

Andrew Cameron, head of chemistry, said: “I gave them a small amount of input and they have taken it and run with it and the simplicity of the project has worked really well.

“We are just going to go to Santa Pod and give it a real go but it’s been a lot of fun.”

The winners of the competition will pick up £1,000 as well as a trip to South Africa to witness a land speed record attempt.