BUDDING young inventors from Greenock are making tracks with an invention that uses renewable energy to power trains.

Talented Notre Dame High trio Murray Paton, Gavin Lynn and Michael Watson have reached the finals of a UK-wide competition with their energy-saving 'Eco Tracks' rail power creation.

The team are the first group of boys from the school selected to take part in the TeenTech Awards, which will be held at the Royal Society in London on June 25.

David McEwan, principal teacher of technical education, said: "Eco Tracks incorporates renewable energy to power railways independently so it doesn't need to be connected to the national grid and uses solar, wind and magnetic energy.

"It's a fantastic project and has had positive feedback from the TeenTech judges.

"There was real interest in applying it to remote stations which are not as busy."

This is the sixth year in a row that Notre Dame has been represented in the prestigious competition.

Mr McEwan said: "There are thousands of applicants every year and to have another group taking part for a sixth year is a great achievement for the department."

His colleague Karen Kelly, who won teacher of the year in 2017, has been running continuing professional development courses for TeenTech teachers across the West of Scotland.

Mrs Kelly said: "We received the gold centre of innovation award and I am trying to help spread the word and roll out the competition to other schools."

The TeenTech Awards are for UK students from 11-19 and the young people work in teams of up to three to look at problems large and small to see if they can find a better way of doing things.

There will be a prize of £1,000 to the winning school in each category and the overall winners will be presented with their awards by HRH Duke of York at Buckingham Palace.