A WANTAGE schoolgirl got to see giant lasers up close after winning a national science competition.

King Alfred’s Academy pupil Amber Collins and two of her friends were treated to a tour of the Rutherford Appleton Laboratories at Harwell.

Amber, Rebecca Hooker and Melissa Quinn were treated to the tour after Amber impressed scientists with her 500-word essay ‘Why I love Science’.

She submitted the piece as part of last year’s national Science and Technology Facilities Council/ Ogden Trust Year 9 Science Prize.

She was told in December that she had been selected as finalist out of more than 100 entries and was invited to the awards evening on December 13.

On the night, each finalist had to give a two-minute presentation on the topic.

Amber, 14, presented her talk in the large lecture theatre at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory before an audience of judges, scientists, parents, siblings, teachers and school friends.

Every finalist was individually invited on to the stage to be congratulated and awarded with a certificate, a book token and a commemorative pen.

Amber was presented with the first prize of an ipad and invited back to be a judge at next year’s Science Prize competition.

Her entry was praised for its ‘vision and persuasive passion’, with judges saying it was ‘witty, articulate and totally convincing’.

Amber said it was ‘one of the best evenings ever’ and added: “I can’t believe I have won this.

“To be honest, I had such a wonderful evening that I would have been perfectly happy with the book token and pen.”