A GIANT Smarties fountain has been created by Nestlé apprentices in York to go on display at a major careers fair at the National Exhibition Centre, in Birmingham.

The four-metre-high fountain uses air pressure to propel giant fake Smarties up to the top of the tube, from where they cascade back down to the base.

The machine will be shown later this week at the Big Bang, the UK’s largest science and engineering careers fair, which aims to inspire young people to develop their skills in these subjects and consider them for future careers.

More than 40,000 youngsters, the majority aged between 12 and 14, are expected to attend the event.

Nestlé are also showcasing a cocoa tree showing the company’s sustainable farming message, a packaging stand showing advances in packaging to reduce the environmental impact and a KitKat game, which demonstrates the complexity of the science and engineering involved in the manufacturing side of the business.

Nestlé said the Smarties fountain, whose branding had been carried out by Harrisons Signs of Clifton, would reappear in York at a later date at another event to be held at the racecourse.