PUPILS at a Hampshire college won awards in a national competition held at Cambridge University.

The students at Barton Peveril College pipped nearly 8000 other pupils from around the country to some of the coveted prizes.

Including "extremely difficult" A level and undergraduate level questions, the talented youngsters sat an exam.

A total of 17 students won the Copper Award, seven students won Silver Awards, two were awarded Gold certificates and one student was awarded the highest prize, the Roentgenium Award.

Patrick Winter, who formerly attended Thornden School and won the Roentgenium Award, scored 54 marks out of 60. This result places Patrick among the most elite Chemistry students in the country, as only 54 students of the 7964 that entered won the top Roentgenium Award. Patrick has been invited to a residential camp at the University of Cambridge in August and a reception in London later this year, where he will receive his award, as a result of his high score.

Speaking on the success of the pupils, Subject Leader for Chemistry Andrew Penson said:

"We are incredibly proud of all the students who took part in the Cambridge Chemistry Challenge this year. It's great to see our students rewarded for their hard work, tackling questions at undergraduate level so successfully."

Former Brookfield Community School pupil Tamzin Ellis also commented on the challenge, after earning a Gold Award:

ā€œI was incredibly pleased to receive the Gold Award. The paper was a great challenge and Iā€™m so glad I pushed myself to take it.ā€