Attempt to inspire new scientists

It is hoped that thousands of children across Oxfordshire will take part.

The Oxfordshire Science Festival 2009 has been launched with the hope of inspiring the next generation of scientists.

More than 50 events are being held to encourage young people to take up science subjects in the futre.

Marcus du Sautoy, professor for public understanding of science at Oxford University is leading the festival..

"The future generation of scientists are the children at the festival", he said.

"The next generation are going to answer the questions I can't, and unless we get them excited in science, they're not going to want to answer these problems."

The festival includes double the number of events of previous years and will cover the entire county.

On Friday, Prime Minister Gordon Brown was in Oxford and set out his ambition to double the number of state pupils taking single-subject science within five years.

He said: "The time has come to build a society that seeks high-value engineering not financial engineering."

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