Budding inventors at Lawn Manor Academy have been learning how to use engineering to combat air pollution with help from the James Dyson Foundation.

Its mission is to inspire young people and encourage engineering education across classrooms around the country. The charity creates free engineering educational resources, with the help of Dyson engineers, to support teachers from primary through to secondary age groups.

Lawn Manor Academy is one of the first schools in the UK to partner with the James Dyson Foundation in hosting its new air pollution-themed workshop during lesson time.

Dyson engineer Ben Edmonds led the workshop, challenging students to build solutions to air pollution.

And he was struck by the breadth, depth and quality of the ideas produced in a short period of time.

“I was hugely impressed with the dedication, focus and passion of the students," he said.

"These students will be living in the future we all create today, so we need to do everything to equip them to solve the challenges that we aren’t even aware of yet.

"The James Dyson Foundation air pollution workshop aims to plant inventive seeds in talented young minds, encouraging them to find solutions to problems that matter to them.”

He told pupils some of the problems that air pollution causes, and how engineers at Dyson are working to find various solutions to different types of air contamination.

The pupils were then split into teams to sketch and mind-map their own solutions before building prototypes of their ideas, using cardboard, tape and Dyson parts provided by the foundation.

They included an LED street lamp powered by solar panels that took in polluted air and filtered it and a public toilet that extracts stale air and purifies it.

Freya Koza, the school's assistant head of maths said the workshop had been inspirational for the pupils.

“Understanding the theory behind engineering is of course essential, but having a practical masterclass from an engineer at one of the UK’s top innovative companies was amazing.

“Taking an idea from the page through to building a prototype was a fantastic experience for our pupils, and the enthusiasm and creativity in the room were really exciting.

"I think we have several budding inventors and engineers at the school who are likely to go far in their fields, thanks to the much-appreciated support by the James Dyson Foundation.”

Find out more about the foundation’s free educational resources at jamesdysonfoundation.co.uk