WOOTTON Bassett School assembly hall buzzed with excitement last week when a Formula One racing car parked up for the day.

Pupils paid 20p to take a closer look at the car, a gleaming blue B199 which competed all over the world last year but is now simply for show.

"Its best performance was at the Canadian Grand Prix, where it gained second place," said Benneton representative Gareth Walker, whose wife teaches at Wootton Bassett School.

PE teacher Matt Coe said, "It's fantastic to have this car on show in the school."

The school was running a raffle with prizes of visits to the factory where the racing cars are made. The money raise dwill go towards new cricket nets.

Mr Walker told pupils about his job with the Oxfordshire-based Benetton Formula One team.

"I am involved in the manufacture, building patterns from which the moulds are made. Last year I was responsible for 23 floors for the cars though hopefully people rarely get to see my work in a race."

Videos were screened all day, near the exhibit, to give visitors a glimpse of Formula 1 cars in action.

Tom German, 15, said he enjoys watching Grand Prix on television. "And I went to Silverstone with my Dad it was really exciting," he said.

Sarah Mason, 17, also admitted to being a motor racing fan. "I think it's really good the school has this chance to bring in a car for us to look at."