Students were invited to ‘fight the fatberg’ on World Environment Day at South Devon University Technical College.

The Newton Abbot college invited their prospective students to find scientific solutions to fatbergs – material that joins together and clogs up the sewers in huge masses – to be in with a chance of winning a VIP experience with the Environment Agency.

Devon’s largest fatberg was discovered in a Sidmouth sewer earlier this year. The size of six back-to-back double decker buses, the fatberg was made up of discarded wet wipes, hardened fat and oil and was clogging up the town centre pipes.

A spokesperson for South Devon UTC said: ‘Taking note of the shocking news from Sidmouth, our eco-ambassadors decided to set visitors the challenge of creating a sink-safe product inside the college’s impressive science laboratories.

‘Visitors presented their ideas and thoughts on how to fight the fatberg to be in with a chance of winning a VIP experience with the Environment Agency at the National Laboratories.

‘The lucky winner will gain an insight into the work of the scientists who maintain the high standards of the UK’s countryside, rivers and beaches.’

The technical college teamed up with Surfers Against Sewage’s Plastic Free campaign and community group Transition Newton Abbot to focus their open evening on environmental issues. Prospective students and their parents joined in a range of activities throughout the evening and learnt about how to protect the environment.

To mark the end of World Environment Day, the college also showed Bag-IT, a 70-minute documentary that has received praise for its impactful and animated message to reduce plastics.

Prospective sixth form and Year 10 students, looking to start at the college in September, also had the opportunity to talk to current students, staff members and employer partners.

Recently, the eco-ambassador project, founded by college scientists Fyn Hayes and Luke Dawson, had success in the Recycle Devon Thank You Awards 2019.

The eco ambassadors have put a number of initiatives in place including the set-up of a recycling centre for Walkers Crisp packets, the only drop-off point for crisp packets in Newton Abbot.

Claire Plumb, Principal of South Devon UTC, said: ‘We were delighted with the turnout to our “fight the fatberg” event on World Environment Day.

‘It was a great opportunity for people to see what goes on behind our doors and even test out our laboratories in the fight the fatberg challenge.

‘The discovery in Sidmouth shocked us and our eco-ambassadors were keen to come up with a solution to encourage the community to consider what they are throwing down their drains. Thank you to everyone who attended.’