Families flocked to St John’s on Saturday for the fifth annual Marlborough Science Fair where they took part in a variety of weird and wonderful experiments and shows.

The fair is run as part of the school’s Engineering Week and offered people the opportunity to experience exciting scientific worlds in a family environment.

Thousands of science enthusiasts took part in the hands-on experiments with visitors queuing outside 40 minutes before the fair started.

Organiser Sally Beare said: “I’m so happy with how everything has gone, it’s been fantastic.

“Some St John’s students have come but it’s a real family event with a lot of primary school children visiting.

“People have really enjoyed the presenter [Steve Allman], he’s new this year and he’s gone down really well.

“Some of the students are on the stalls helping out with experiments and I think visitors really like that."

There were local and national exhibitors including The Institute of physics, Transition Marlborough and Wiltshire Museum.

Ms Beare said: “Having people like Transition Marlborough and Crofton Beam Engines adds a community element to the day.”

Visitors were also invited to create intricate structures out of spaghetti, build and launch their own rockets and make tornados in a bottle, to name just a few of the activities on offer.

Hannah Martin, eight, said: “It’s been a really fun day. I liked making all the different things, my favourite was the spaghetti structures because you have to use sweets and I could eat them afterwards."

The fair has been recognised by the British Science Association (BSA) for its continued outstanding contribution through its Engineering Week.

Since the first fair in 2010 it has won the BSA Award for best school fair in the country twice and this year it is shortlisted for the BSA’s top three secondary schools in the UK. A judge visited the fair on Saturday.