YOUNG people braved the "black chair" as they answered questions on their specialist subjects in a bid to walk off with the title of Kearsley Academy's Mastermind Challenge.

The inter-house competition, based on the hit BBC show, was held to quench pupils' "thirst for knowledge".

Form groups become teams, and decided on a topic in which they would become experts.

Topics ranged from the Olympics 2012, Capital Cities, Einstein theories,States in America,Horror Films,World Cup 2014 and UK chart best sellers.

They worked with their form tutors finding out as much as they could over four weeks before taking to the "black chair".

The Student Council read out the questions testing the subject specialisms and pupils' general knowledge within their form time.

During the "question time" any member of the form could answer the question

They answered 40 questions, 20 specialist and the rest general knowledge, and all scores went towards the house cup and out of the three houses, Byron, Einstein and Mandela.

The winning house was Mandela being crowned the Mastermind champions by just one point.

Assistant principal Mel Hughes said: "It's been a fantastic way of students pursuing knowledge within an active research environment.

"Students have been team working , generating a real house spirit."

Miss Hughes said the competition was held as part of the school's social, moral and cultural development, and following positive feedback from the young people is set to become an annual event.

Questions testing pupils' knowledge included:

Which contemporary British artist leaves his artwork in the walls of the London City?

Which animals are at the base of Nelson's Column?

What does the E stand for in Einstein's famous equation?

Answers:

1:Banksy

2:Lions

3:Energy