A pound;10,000 grant from the Millennium Commission allowed Settle High School to make a real show of its science fair. The event, which took visitors through a time tunnel and back to 1899, before whizzing them into the present and catching a glimpse of the future, aimed to show how science has changed our lives over the past century. The fair, set up by chemistry co-ordinator Lionel Edwards, was a collaborative effort, bringing together Settle and 12 local schools. As well as demonstrations of butter-making, milking and dry-stone walling, it included workshops, displays of children’s work and a giant talking computer (Y12‘s Joe Roberts). Admitting the computer was stuck for an answer when one four-year-old asked it who made God, geography co-ordinator Brinley Best nevertheless hailed the event as a great success. He says: “More than 1,000 children came through. It was completely barmy.”

SNAPS BY Brinley Best and Catherine Bradley

* Roll up! Matthew and Gerald welcome visitors

* How now: Louise, Twinkle and Suzanne with farmers

* Butter fingers: dairymaids Lisa and Laura Wood, Y9

* Ask me another: Joe Roberts, Y12, as a talking computer

* Taking his turn:a local lad tries his hand on the wood lathe

* Cap that!Martin and Daniel, Y9, practise hedgecraft

* Fleece offering:Emma Sullivan, Y9, carding wool

* Governor (and Twinkle’s owner) Margaret Holdgate