COUNTDOWN’S Rachel Riley has given a boost to students vying for a marathon with a difference.

Colchester Institute students have entered the Shell-Eco Marathon in which super-light, fuel efficient cars of the future race to travel the farthest.

Vehicles are measured on how far they can travel on just a litre of fuel.

Twelve students make up Colchester Institutes’ team who travelled to Olympic Park, London, to meet smart celeb Rachel as part of their race preparations.

Hannah Clark, engineering student, said: "We now feel more familiar with the area where we were given the chance to see the surface and terrain. It was also nice to network with one of the other teams and chat about how they are getting on with their design.

"It was really nice to meet Rachel to talk about our car and she was really supportive of our plans.

"It made me feel really proud to talk to someone of celebrity status about what we’ve all worked on.”

Mike Alston, course leader in Higher Education Engineering, added: “The Shell Eco-Marathon is really beneficial to the students as it brings together the academic and technical knowledge that students learn throughout the year in a very realistic engineering environment.

"It was great for students to meet Rachel because of her mathematical background where she understood the importance of putting theory into practice.”

The Eco-Marathon takes place over a few days in heats next month.