SURFING might look like the farthest thing possible from science. But a group of junior boffins have been spending their summer holidays finding out there is a lot more to wave riding than just standing on a board.

The group of Swindon pupils were taking part in a workshop in a week-long science engineering and technology workshop at the Royal Military College of Science in Shrivenham.

The summer school is open only to girls and is aimed at encouraging the year 10 and 11 pupils to continue their education in the science field.

The surfboard workshop concerned materials, with the girls deciding which would enable a miniature surfboard to float, be lightweight but very strong.

Students from Bradon Forest, Churchfields, Highworth Warneford, Hreod Parkway and Ridgeway schools were joined by youngsters from Oxford, Lancaster and Salisbury.

Other activities the group took part in included a mechanical engineering session, where they had to judge the performance of a lawnmower engine, and a DNA fingerprinting workshop, where they had a sample of their own DNA taken from their saliva.