CHILDREN in Cirencester received a flying visit from a special guest on Friday just in time for this year's Royal International Air Tattoo.

RAF Pilot Tom Mallin visited Year 5 students at Powell's School to help lead a special engineering workshop.

At this year's Air Tattoo, held in Fairford, 20 schools across the region will be taking part in a competition which involves designing and making a small device which can be propelled forward at top speed.

Students at Powell's are already busy designing their own models, which will then be judged by teachers. The winning two teams of two pupils will be sent to the Air Tattoo on July 17 to compete against the other schools and also be judged by Tom and a selection of Red Arrows engineers.

"At the moment the UK has a shortage of engineers in all professions," said Tom, 24. "So we are trying to promote it as a career early so kids get interested in the idea."

A survey done by STEM (science, technology, engineering, maths) Works director Mo Follis, who was also at the workshop, showed that when children imagine an engineer they think of a "crusty old man in a boiler suit". But this is an image Mo, Tom and the Powells teachers want to change.

"Children age 11 don't know what they want to be when they grow up yet, but they do know what they don't want to be," said Mo. "And if we turn off how interesting engineering and science is, then what hope do we have for future engineers?"

Pupils spent the day designing and building their model outside in the sun, while also asking trainee pilot Tom for advice.

"It's been a really good day," said Year 5 pupil Minna, who is thinking of becoming a pilot when she is older. "It was interesting learning about the Fairford air show."

Children from all across Gloucestershire and Wiltshire will have their devices judged on design, speed and one other mystery element at the Air Tattoo on July 17. Visit airtattoo.com for more on the show.