The appliance of science was the focus of a one-day festival dedicated to developing some of the district's finest young minds.

Talented youngsters from seven Bradford and Keighley secondary schools visited Bradford University to put their knowledge of chemical principles to the test.

Salters' Festivals of Chemistry takes place at universities throughout the UK and the Ireland annually. Each aims to alert youngsters aged 11 to 13 to the benefits of studying the subject - which has seen a decline in popularity in recent years.

The University of Bradford event saw youngsters use basic forensic science in an attempt to solve a murder mystery by identifying the different properties of salts.

Pupils also put sodium chloride to good use by creating conditions cold enough to freeze their own ice cream.

To finish off the day, participants attended a lecture by university archaeologist Dr Andrew Wilson which detailed scientific techniques being used to solve the mysteries of mummies.

Dr Nazira Karodia, senior lecturer of chemistry at the University of Bradford who co-ordinated the day, said: "The aim of the festival is to make chemistry more exciting, more relevant and fun, and to encourage children to study sciences.

"Chemistry can be exciting and is not all about people in white coats.

"The day also gives them the chance to visit a university campus and see what it's all about."

Immanuel College Year Eight students, Lucy-Ann Lowde and Lois Worton-Smith, both 13, said the festival had helped to bring chemistry alive.

Lucy-Ann, who hopes to become a paediatrician, said: "It has been lots of fun. We have learnt chemistry in more detail than we have done at high school."

Lois said: "Mixing all the chemicals and examining the forensic properties of the metals is something we have not done before."

Bradford festival administrator Michelle Milne, of The Salters' Trust, said: "Children often have a slightly incorrect view about what chemistry is. Hopefully this event gets it over to them that it is a fun subject and that studying it further provides lots of career options."

Teams of four from each school were selected to attend the event which also featured pupils from schools in Huddersfield, Dewsbury, Blackburn, Pontefract and Mytholmroyd. Each Salters' Festival is backed by the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Dr Joanne Ladds from Bradford Girls' Grammar School said such events were essential to motivate pupils and help prevent them from looking at chemistry as only an academic subject. Cash prizes were awarded to the top three teams in the event.

Immanuel College, which featured Jessica Honell, Lucy-Ann Lowde, Kimberley Walker and Lois Worton-Smith took second place and £50 for the school. Third place and £25 was awarded to youngsters from Bradford Grammar School. Their team featured Jamie Bowden, Kate Mancey and William Muirhead.

A Blackburn school won first place.