SCIENCE sessions celebrating the Manchester Science Festival came to a "sticky" end at Bolton University.

Professors transformed the social learning zone into an open plan science extravanganza for two "Messy Science" sessions for younsters on half-term.

Budding scientists put snails on the race trail to measure the impact of different feeding patterns and also explored the power of magnets.

Sports science staff, biologists, engineers and materials research experts showed children how to work with different materials, starting with eggs and coloured card.

Dr Gill Smart, from the University’s Institute for Materials Research and Innovation, said: "I’d like to thank all staff and students who volunteered to support Science Week – we couldn’t do it without them.

"It has been an amazing week and everyone has had a lot of fun."

For the fourth year running university staff — together with partners Bolton Museum — hosted special “meet the scientist” events at the museum where young people can talk to real scientists and engineers and take part in interactive workshops.

Yesterday's sessions marked an end to week-long celebration of the spectular world of science.

On Wednesday, youngsters became architects at Bolton Museum as they created structures out of peculiar materials including dry spaghetti and marshmallows.

About 60 primary school children from across the borough were invited down to the museum and were met by scientists from the university including DR Gill Smart, of the Institute for materials, research and innovation, who led the session.

There was something for parents as well, as the session was held in conjunction with an exhibition of black and white photographs of Bolton's famous steeplejack Fred Dibnah.

The pictures, many of which have not been exhibited since 1980, have been on display at the museum to mark the 10th anniversary o Mr Dibnah's death and captured him doing what he did best, knocking down chimneys.