Budding lawyers of the future from Wymondham College will have their skills tested in the finals of a mock trial competition.The college is one of 17 schools to be picked from across England, Wales and Northern Ireland to compete, which will see pupils take on the roles of lawyers, witnesses, magistrates and court staff in a real court room.

Budding lawyers of the future from Wymondham College will have their skills tested in the finals of a mock trial competition.

The college is one of 17 schools to be picked from across England, Wales and Northern Ireland to compete, which will see pupils take on the roles of lawyers, witnesses, magistrates and court staff in a real court room.

They will be judged by real magistrates and legal professionals who will be looking for confidence in public speaking, analysis and teamwork skills.

The contest, called the Citizenship Foundation's Magistrates' Court Mock Trial Competition, is funded by Her Majesty's Courts Service and aims to increase youngsters' awareness of the law and its relevance to them.

The finals will take place at the historic Victoria Law Courts in Birmingham on Saturday.

The winners will be invited to a celebratory event at the House of Lords in July. The triumphant students will also each receive a small individual shield and a �20 book token, while the school will be given a large shield to display and �500 worth of Hodder education resources.