The airline easyJet has revealed their winners for the 'Aircraft of the Future' design competition.

It was launched to challenge the next generation of engineers to design their vision for future flying - a passenger plane for travelling across Europe, powered by a sustainable energy source.

This announcement follows the UN COP26 Climate summit where the airline announced that it wants to be the first to fly passengers in hydrogen-powered Airbus aircraft from 2035.

Entries included designs inspired by solar-powered wings to more unconventional energy sources like hamster-wheel and worm-powered plane.

The designs also featured a selection of sustainably sourced materials including seats made from coconuts (coir), one of the thickest and most resistant natural fibres available.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Lara, 15, with her winning design (PA)Lara, 15, with her winning design (PA)

Who won the easyJet 'Aircraft of the Future' competition?

Cerys, aged 8 from Norfolk and Lara, aged 15 from Surrey have been crowned the winners following the nationwide contest.

Cerys’ winning design centred on battery power, with solar-powered wings and reusable cups for passengers made of processed banana leaves. Whilst Lara’s design looked at using pressurised hydrogen and fuel-cell stacks to generate electricity to power their passenger aircraft of the future.

Lara’s aeroplane also took inspiration from the animal kingdom with material replicating fish scales for the plane’s fuselage, intended to decrease drag for the plane to improve fuel-efficiency.

easyJet’s First Officer Debbie Thomas, who was on the judging panel, and is an engineer and zero-emission aircraft modeller said, “We had some amazing entries and were stunned and incredibly encouraged by the innovation we saw.

"Cerys and Lara have inspired us all with their winning designs – we’d love to see them join easyJet as engineers one day, working on zero-emission aircraft of the future.”

Additionally, Lara, the winner of the secondary school-age category, has also won a behind the scenes trip to Airbus and a chance to feature on Frank Stephenson’s YouTube podcast channel to discuss their design.

The runners up will also be receiving a signed render of their design.