EIGHT students from the fourth form at King William’s College in Castletown recently attended the prestigious Salters’ Festival of Chemistry competition in Liverpool.

The competition involved a forensic activity where the students had to carry out a series of practical analyses of samples collected from a staged crime scene in order to find out what happened and how.

The eight students - James Allen, Ashenafi Ashenafi, Sami Benbatoul, Jennifer Chan, James Gallagher, James Hansford, Matthew Vincent and Gabriel Wilson - were divided into two teams. The teams were judged on safety in the laboratory and for their skill in handling chemicals along with their teamwork, presentation and forensic report and conclusions.

The KWC team consisting of James Hansford, Sami Benbatoul, Jennifer Chan and James Gallagher performed exceptionally well and was awarded third place out of 18 teams, made up from the 14 competing schools from the North West region.

Salters' Festivals of Chemistry are one-day events held at universities throughout the UK and Ireland. They provide the opportunity for young students to spend a day in a university department and to take part in practical chemistry activities which are fun. Prizes are awarded to the winning teams and all students receive certificates and prizes.

The festivals begin in late March and run through to mid June and are an initiative of the Salters’ Institute. Their objective is to help promote the appreciation of chemistry and related sciences among the young.

Since 2005 the Salters' Festivals of Chemistry have been in partnership with the Royal Society of Chemistry. During the last eight years more than 20,000 students have experienced the fun of practical chemistry through the Salters' Festivals and sponsorship in support of the festivals has been raised from more than 50 companies.

Jennifer Chan and James Hansford from King William’s College at the competition