It is never easy choosing your future career path as a youngster, but help was at hand with an interactive careers fair.

Around 2,000 pupils from all over Norfolk arrived by the bus load to meet businesses from sectors such as engineering, energy and construction at the National Construction College in Bircham Newton.

Students from year nine and above browsed around the many stalls, talked to experts, and took part in hands-on challenges such as who can change a tyre the quickest and brick-weaving.

Josh Starling, 13, a pupil at Downham Market Academy, said he enjoyed the event.

He said: 'I found it quite interesting for the engineering side and the exhibitions were exciting. I found it good as I want to go into the engineering business.'

Sue Cant, careers advisor for Open Academy, Norwich, brought along 90 year 11 pupils from the school.

She said: 'Some of the pupils know what they want to do but have still found it useful and have found out about other things. We have one student who wants to become a photographer, but now she has found out about doing underwater photography by coming here.

'We have another student who has won the best time for hand and eye co-ordination contest so that has highlighted a skill he didn't know he had. There is someone to talk to from different industries so it broadens the mind.'

Around 40 businesses and educational organisations held stalls at the event, which was run by Norfolk County Council (NCC).

They included British Sugar, College of West Anglia, Kier Group, Morgan Sindall, Ridgeons and the University of East Anglia.

Mark Rudling, from training company JTL, said students showed a lot of interest in his stall, which was promoting apprenticeships in electrics, engineering and plumbing.

He said: 'This is a golden time for a young person who wants to be an electrician. The trade is roaring for people to come in to it. Norfolk is a very prosperous place at the moment.'

James Joyce, chairman of NCC's Children's Services Committee, said: 'By bringing businesses and school children together, hopefully the fair will help some of the many talented young people we have in this county to find a career they will go on to become very successful in.'