BUDDING scientists did not mind getting their hands dirty when they swapped their classroom for a laboratory to carry out their own research.

And nothing less than a university laboratory would do for the youngsters of St Stephen and All Martyrs CE Primary School in Radcliffe Road, Bolton.

The University of Bolton was only too happy to oblige.

The children, aged 10 and 11, were taking part in the finals of a national education contest and spent a day at the university analysing soil for contamination and the creatures which live in it for their entry.

The pupils' discovery session was part of project work they are completing for the junior finals of the Rolls-Royce Science Prize. This is a contest open to all schools and colleges in the UK and Republic of Ireland, with £120,000 in prizes for schools to invest in science education School governor and Rolls-Royce Science Prize team leader, Robert Moores said: "We are thrilled the university has been so open about us coming in with the children and has been so helpful.

The children were totally focused on the experiments. Coming to a laboratory such as this, with such facilities, has clearly captured their imagination."