A team of apprentices, sixth formers, and degree students collaborated on a summer challenge to design a solution for the damaged Whitehaven Harbour pontoon.

Hosted at Sellafield Ltd's Engineering Centre of Excellence, in Cleator Moor, the summer sprint challenge saw the team spend two weeks devising and testing, before presenting their solution to an audience of friends, family, and stakeholders.

The audience at the presentation, which took place on Thursday, August 8, included representatives from pontoon owners Whitehaven Harbour Commissioners, Forth Engineering, the Centre for Leadership Performance, and Sellafield Ltd.

The damaged pontoon, known as the Crow's Nest, is currently submerged in places due to its inability to support its own weight and could potentially cause boats to collide with unseen sunken sections.

Craig Branney, head of off-site developments at Sellafield Ltd's Engineering Centre of Excellence, said: "The sprint challenges are all about discovering the art of the possible, empowering young people from our local communities to devise and build a strategy for a local engineering challenge.

"This is an incredible achievement for the team, they have worked through a robust idea that meets all the objectives of the challenge they were set, and they have set a very high bar for the next cohort.

"These sprint projects help ECoE understand how to identify funding, as well as create a legacy for the young people involved – when the pontoon solution is installed, they will always know they had a significant role in its design and development.

"It’s a fantastic opportunity for young people to take part in, and with the right guidance and support, they realise that anything is possible.

"I am extremely proud of the work they have done and look forward to the next sprint challenge."

Ruby Haile, a sixth form student from Energy Coast UTC, was one of the youngest members of the team and led the presentation.

She said: "I have really enjoyed doing this project during my summer holiday and it’s definitely given me an insight into working life, and the career opportunities that are available to me right here in Cumbria.

"It’s also improved my confidence in public speaking and developing a detailed presentation as part of a team."

The team visited the site, assessed the damage, then decided that repair was not a likely option.

The safest and most cost-effective solution was to remove and replace the pontoon.

Three designs for the new pontoon were drawn up.

The team suggested building the pontoon out of floating polystyrene and concrete technology, creating a robust platform for visitors to access on the surface and a structure beneath the water that would support marine wildlife.