A GIANT boring machine which will dig a new train tunnel under the A666 has been given a more interesting name — Fillie.

Rail chiefs decided their boring machine sounded a bit dull — and so they challenged youngsters at local primary schools to come up with a better name.

The winning entry links back to the area's history with 10-year-old Paris Bate's great-grandfather owning farmland on the site of the tunnel.

The 10-year-old St Gregory’s pupil, who won a visit to the tunnel to see the machine up close, was chosen from more than 80 entries.

She said: "My great-grandad had used to have stables there and Fillie was what he called a female horse, so I thought that was a good idea.

“When I found out I had won the competition I was really happy — and my friends were a little bit jealous.”

As part of her prize she was invited down to the site to see the first section of the machine with the name 'Fillie' written on it.

Paris added: “It was much bigger than I expected — it was really good to go down and see it and I will show the pictures to all my friends.”

The first section of the boring machine has now arrived at the project site off the A666 and when it is fully constructed it will be used to bore out the tunnel to create room for newly electrified lines.

Paris’s mum, Celia Bate, said: “She was really chuffed when she found out — they told her in class and she said she had her fingers crossed under the table.

“We live in Longcauseway, which is just around the corner from where the project is taking place and obviously there is the link with the family.”

Paris said it took her about a week to create a piece of work which included the name and a drawing of the machine.

The remainder of the machine will be arriving on site in the coming days and will then begin work to bore out the tunnel, while simultaneously building the new, larger tunnel as it moves through.

Network Rail has said the project remains on course and the tunnel will reopen to trains on October 5.