Three youngsters were invited to Parliament for a summit after they impressed the judges of a school design competition.

Ilford Recorder: Teacher Rose Russell, Iona Williams, 12, Audrey Fidegnon, 12, teacher Edna Reilly and Cairenn Mullen, 12Teacher Rose Russell, Iona Williams, 12, Audrey Fidegnon, 12, teacher Edna Reilly and Cairenn Mullen, 12 (Image: Archant)

Year Seven pupils Audrey Fidegnon, Iona Williams and Cairenn Mullen, all 12, from The Ursuline Academy Ilford, attended the Wastebuster Primary Earth Summit on Plastic after their bee in a bottle design was selected as one of 20 winning national entries.

The girls presented their idea to judges at the event and won top prize in the design and innovation category.

Along with three other schools, they will now be offered the opportunity to see their product become a reality.

Edna Reilly, head of design and technology at the school in Morland Road, Ilford, said: “Their proposals were inventive and creative. They have worked really hard at lunch time and in after-school club and I’m delighted that their project has been chosen as one of the top four to be developed.”

Ilford Recorder: The bee in a bottle design 3D printed. [Picture: Rose Russell]The bee in a bottle design 3D printed. [Picture: Rose Russell] (Image: Archant)

The girls were inspired to create the design, using a recycled bottle, because of the falling numbers of bees.

Dr Nikki Gammans, from the Short-haired Bumblebee Project, has offered to test their product and it has also been 3D-printed.