A UNIVERSITY student from Hereford has played a key part in getting a solar-powered car to complete a 1,700-mile drive across Australia.

Joe Papworth, previously at Hereford Sixth Form College and Hereford Cathedral School, competed as part of the Durham University team in the World Solar Challenge. They finished 14th and top British team.

The car, called Ortus, has been researched, designed, manufactured and tested at Durham University by a team of more than 50 people, of which Joe was responsible for designing and maintaining the electronics system, including the dashboard panels that control the car.