A PUPIL from Evesham is among three local youngsters who have beaten some stiff opposition to be named finalists in the BAFTA Young Games Designer Awards.

The national competition draws hundreds of entries from across the UK.

The winners will receive mentoring from top games developers and previous winners have gone on to secure commercial interest for their games designs.

Harry Gorrill, aged 11, from St Egwins CE Middle School, in Evesham, and the team of Elizabeth McMahon and Jade Liggitt, both 13 from Holy Trinity Academy Trust, Kidderminster have had their games recognised in the Games Concept (10-14) category of the competition.

Elizabeth and Jade’s game, Space Race, is designed to teach 5-12 year olds about Space. It sees the player become a spacewoman or man completing races across each of the planets in our solar system to save a lost space team who ran off course during their mission.

Harry’s game, Scrappy Races, sees the user scouring a scrapyard to make and race the ultimate vehicle, made exclusively from scrap materials.

Gamers can create vehicles ranging from trucks to dragsters and even hot rods.

Harry said: “I love the way that games design allows you to bring to life any scenario. I wanted to show that even a scrap yard can be made exciting and encourage creativity.

"To me there is no such thing as a scrapped car, it is the start of a new car waiting to be discovered. I can’t believe that next month I’ll be on the stage at BAFTA.

"It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity and I’m excited about meeting other young games designers from across the country.”

The BAFTA Young Game Designers (YGD) competition, in association with Nominet Trust, gives young people the chance to design and create their own game.

The initiative is now in its sixth year and has seen previous entrants go on to attract commercial interest, as well as a nomination at the British Academy Games Awards, BAFTA’s flagship ceremony for the games industry.

Forty games, made by individuals or teams of young people aged 10-18, will be vying for the Game Concept Award and Game Making Award, which recognise a written game idea, or a game made using computer software respectively.

The winners of both strands, in 10-14 and 15-18 age ranges, will receive a host of prizes, including: a mentor from the games industry to help them develop their skills further, tours of leading games studios, and a prototype of their game created by a team of developers.

Elizabeth, Jade and Harry will be attending a special awards ceremony next month at BAFTA's HQ in London where they will find out if if they are national winners in their category.