TWO students have seen their design careers take off in style after winning top honours in a prestigious technology competition.

Northallerton College students Ruth Chapman and Oli Nixon each won their categories in the Big Bang Engineering Inspiration regional contest staged at Yorkshire Air Museum, near York.

Oli, 17, of Danby Wiske, designed an aerial drone, a remote-controlled four rotor flying machine capable of taking video and stills photography.

“I’m really pleased with the quality of the images because I paid attention to making the drone particularly stable,” said Oli, who hopes to study mechanical engineering or product design at university.”

Oli has also been offered works experience by tone company to see how this kind of technology could be used in a modern industrial climate.

For fashion designer Ruth Chapman the win follows a series of successes as her talent is recognised nationally. She has twice made the finals of Clothes Show Live with her designs and hopes one day to work for Burberry and have her own label.

The textile student captured the attention of Big Bang judges in the senior textiles category with a contemporary Grecian wedding dress in sequined satin, lace and netting.

Ruth, 18, of Northallerton, who hopes to study fashion at university, said: “The dress was quite detailed as the sequins and leaf detailing were sewn on by hand. I’m thrilled that my efforts were recognised by judges.”