Schoolgirl, 10, designs unique Starship robot to help stray cats in Milton Keynes

A 10-year-old girl has won a competition to have her own design printed on a Starship delivery robot in MK.

Poppy Waterson invented a ‘Stray Cat 200’ robot that would trundle the streets helping abandoned and neglected moggies.

It would include medical equipment, a cat toy, litter tray, food, water and even a translator.

The Giffard Park pupil’s design was declared the winner in a contest run by Starship and the two Milton Keynes MPs . It has now been reproduced on a robot.

The contest was run over the summer holidays for students across the city show off their innovative skills.

Poppy has earned herself some vouchers and £500 for her school – on top of the pride of seeing her design roaming the streets of the city.

Ben Everitt, the MP for Milton Keynes North, said: “It was absolutely amazing seeing so many fantastic entries from the wonderful bright young people we have here in Milton Keynes.

“We love seeing the robots all across MK and I’m looking forward to the first time I see Poppy’s design roaming the streets. Well done Poppy!

“I also want to thank Starship for running this competition with us to engage young people across the city in innovation!”

Iain Stewart, the MP for Milton Keynes South, added: “I want to take this opportunity to congratulate the winner and the runners-up of the Back to School Bot Competition that I ran with Ben Everitt MP and Starship Technologies.

“We had many designs sent in with brilliant ideas on how to improve the Starship delivery robots. From street cleaning designs to football designs, it was a difficult job to narrow it down to the final three.

“Be sure to keep an eye out to spot the top three designs on the robots around Milton Keynes.”

Starship operations manager Andy Curtis said: "Innovation in tech is essential to what we do at Starship, and this has been a great opportunity to encourage children to imagine how they could help the world with a robot invention.

“Starship is delighted to donate £500 to Poppy's school - she ought to be proud to have dreamt up such a clever and caring robot!"