A GROUP of year seven girls from Pleckgate High School in Blackburn have reached the finals of a national competition.

The pupils had to design and make a rocket to power a miniature car at the Race for the Line event at Bury Transport Museum.

Two teams of four from year seven made their cars travel at 86mph and 83mph, coming second and third in the event.

Engineering teacher Denise Turnbull who helped the children design their rockets, said: "The fastest car in the national competition last year was 78mph so we have already gone better than that with both our teams.

"I am especially proud that they are two girl teams as we want to encourage more females to go into engineering."

The overall winner will receive £1,000 worth of educational products from the online learning platform Dendrite.