A GROUP of three young scientists from Barrow's Chetwynde School proved themselves to be the best in the North West when they won the region's 1998 Schools' Analyst Competition.

The Mail on Tuesday, April 7, in 1998, noted that the A-level Chemistry students won a contest sponsored by North West Water and British Gas.

The four-hour competition was organised by the Royal Society of Chemistry and held at Lancaster University.

Entrants had to analyse lemon squash, a bitter lemon drink and whole lemons using a technique known as atomic absorption spectrophotometry.

The Chetwynde chemists discovered the bitter lemon drink contained one part per million of copper.

The article noted: "They also discovered extra vitamin C had been added as a preservative to the lemon squash.

"As well as finding the competition very challenging, the Barrow students said it was also interesting and enjoyable.

"A-level chemistry teacher Andrew Taylor was delighted with the success of his lower sixth form students.

"He said: 'They demonstrated an ability to think originally and logically, and to carry out complex procedures better than many university graduates'.

"Irmeen, Peter and Sherif will now represent the North West in the national finals at Sunderland University, in June."