A 1,000mph super-car replica has been wowing students at Ivybridge.

The Bloodhound rocket-powered supersonic car has been built to challenge the world land speed record of more than 700mph.

A Bloodhound SSC show car, built as a life-size version of the super car, arrived at at Ivybridge Community College as part of the youngsters' lessons in science, technology, engineering and maths.

More than 100 lucky students had the chance to explore the show car – the only one of its kind in the UK – before it left for Dublin.

The car was unveiled as the star element of an interactive learning zone at Ivybridge Community College, where the Bloodhound SSC team showed off the car and the technology behind the real vehicle.

Following the showcase, the Bloodhound education team ran four detail sessions for selected students from other local schools, to be followed by four more days of workshops.

Tom Hughes, a 12-year-old student at Ivybridge, said: 'It is so exciting to see Bloodhound up close and find out about the technology behind it.

'I've never seen a car like it. My mum has a Ford Fiesta, which would look tiny and boring if it was parked next to Bloodhound.'

He added: 'I want to be either a musician or an engineer when I grow up, so learning about Bloodhound – especially the aerodynamics – has inspired me to find out more about engineering. My favorite subject at school is technology and my dream job would be to design and build rollercoasters.'

Throughout the week, students learnt about aerodynamics; forces; engineering problem-solving; the importance of teamwork; building rocket cars,; 3D printing; computational fluid dynamics; and a whole host of other interesting topics.

Simon Underdown, assistant principal at Ithe college, said: 'This is an exceptional experience for students in Devon.

'Bloodhound is renowned throughout the world for the ground-breaking technology that it uses, so we're privileged that our students can not only see it up close but also get hands-on experience of how it actually works.

'The aim is to inspire the students to use science, engineering, technology and maths and to give them an understanding of the sorts of things these subjects can lead to.

'I'm confident that this experience will inspire the students that were lucky enough to attend the workshops and leave a lasting legacy to motivate our future generation of engineers and scientists.'

In addition to the workshops and the chance to examine the car, students were offered the opportunity to try a simulated 1,000mph drive; investigate a modular version of the car that broke into cross-sections; and experience touch-screen panels and X-rays of the inside of the car.

Peter Bull, a 13-year-old Ivybridge student, said he was determined to be a fighter pilot in the RAF when he leaves school.

He said: 'It was so interesting to learn about the aerodynamics and balancing of the car, and it's confirmed that I want to be a fighter pilot.

'The engineering behind Bloodhound has to be so precise, as the slightest miscalculation can end in disaster, so it shows how important it is to get the mathematics exactly right.'

The visit was made possible by the South West Teaching School Alliance, which helped fund the visit.

Over the next two weeks, the Bloodhound education team will continue their tour of South West Teaching Alliance schools, spending one week in Exeter and another in Plymouth.