A NINE-YEAR-OLD girl from Chippenham has won her school £500 worth of computer equipment.

Laura Todd, who attends St Peter's Primary School in Chippenham, won a competition organised by North Wiltshire District Council, to design a way for people to contact the authority in 2020.

Laura's design featured a district council pocket computer, complete with touch screen, internet access and webcam.

The schoolgirl, who lives with her parents and 12-year-old sister Molly in Chippenham, said: "I like inventing things and was inspired by all the computers that are around me. I thought my invention should be available in a little package and not be difficult to carry around.

"I didn't have any help from anyone and I liked designing it, especially since we got an extra computer at school."

Laura's school had been saving to raise enough money for computer equipment. They had run out of money with just one laptop left to buy. Acting head Sarah Findlay-Cobb, said: "We want as many laptops as possible for the children and thanks to Laura we now have one between two. With her help we got the last laptop computer we needed and it is the icing on the cake."

Entries to the competition were judged by Cllr Peter Davies, chairman of the district council.