A Big Bang created a range of fun activities to help schoolchildren get hands on with STEM subjects.

Schools and businesses from across West Cumbria gathered at Whitehaven Golf Club to take part in exciting exercises.

More than 20 exhibitors from businesses and colleges showcased STEM - science, technology, engineering and maths - skills, including Oscar the Robot - the NDA's talking friend.

Zoe Whitehead, year four teacher at St Patrick's Primary School in Workington, said: "The children have been able to get lots of hands on experience and it is important for them to see what is out there once they finish school.

"They've also been able to see what is available in the local area."

The event was organised by STEM Cumbria Ltd and aimed to emphasise the importance of STEM subjects and related careers.

Tony Gill, from STEM Cumbria, said: "Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics impact on almost everything we do. We hope this event will showcase the fact that STEM is all around us."

St Patrick's student Kayla Horrocks, nine, said: "I liked getting an electric shock. It's been fun learning how electric and magnets work."

Amelia Thompson, nine, said: "It has been fun. It helped me to understand the subjects more."

Rob Way, from the Institute of Physics, said: "We have been doing a range of experiments. The Van der Graaf generator has been really popular and it helps teach the children about static electricity.

"We've talked to pupils about what they might want to go on to do. It's important to make STEM subjects accessible and to show that they are interesting."

Exhibitors included REACT Engineering, Gen II, NNL, Amec Foster Wheeler, Sellafield and the NDA, Lakes College, Morgan Sindall, James Fisher and the Institute of Physics.