UNIVERSITY of York students will compete in BBC quiz show University Challenge for the first time in more than 20 years.

Team members facing quiz master Jeremy Paxman have been selected from more than 120 contenders for the four-strong team. Captain David Belcher, 25, Helen Smith, 23, Gareth Simkins, 20 and Susannah Archer, 31, travelled to Manchester to be tested by BBC producers. The team emerged victorious as one of the 56 teams selected from 160 Universities. Their challenge will be broadcast in the autumn.

Organiser Dan Simon, also Students' Union press and publicity officer, said: "The selection process was tough. It took the best part of four hours to whittle the applicants down to four."

Host Jeremy Paxman is known for his ability to interrogate politicians on BBC2's Newsnight.

But Gareth Simkins, an environmental biology student, said he was not worried by Paxman's reputation as a tough questioner. "He's just a big pussycat," he said.

picture- SPOTLIGHT: Looking forward to University Challenge are York team members, from left, Tom Rutherford (reserve), Helen Smith, David Belcher (captain) Susannah Archer and Gareth Simkins