HEREFORDSHIRE Education Business Partnership has launched a nationwide schools competition aimed at reversing the trend of local students opting against science-based degrees.

Science for life (S4L), a joint initiative with science company Bayer, is open to teams of up to four from post-16 science courses.

The winner of the competition, in categories for the car, farm, home and human body, will be decided by the public in the first-ever online 'vote-a-thon'.