IT'S lift-off for young boffins at Bury's Derby High School who are reaching for the sky in a rocket-building competition.

The school is one of five in Bury and Bolton which have built their own rockets ahead of the competition launch in March.

Derby students and pupils from Elms Bank in Whitefield have joined three Bolton high schools in the fight for the chance to take part in a major "rocket science" competition in the USA.

Each team has been provided with a kit and information to help them build rockets capable of travelling at speeds of up 600mph and heights of 4,000ft.

The finished rockets will be launched in Lincoln on March 15 and the winning team will go to America for the US Aerospace challenge 2003 at Lake Michigan.

North west rocket engineering company Starchaser is supporting the UK-based challenge and the company took along its massive Nova rocket when the five teams gathered at the Last Drop, Bolton.

Derby pupil Rhiannon Kelly (15), said: "It's been a real challenge. It's been quite difficult, but very enjoyable. We're excited about the chance of going to America."

The challenge is being co-ordinated by Bolton & Bury Education Business Partnership (EBP) and is sponsored by Double R Controls of Heywood.

Charlotte Chadwick from the EBP said: "The students and schools involved have shown real dedication to the project."

The initiative is designed to involve youths and their teachers in science, mathematics, physics and applied technology through the construction of high-powered rockets.