A YOUNG inventor from Truro has had his dream "spy gadget" built by a team of professionals after winning a keenly-contested BBC competition.

Robert Newcombe, 10, from Bosvean Gardens, was one of only five finalists picked from 3,000 entries in an inventions competition run by the BBC children's programme That's Genius.

Robert, a pupil at St Mary's School, designed a "spy gadget" inspired by his hero James Bond.

Called Spybird, its exterior is crafted to look like a seagull, but hidden inside is a working camera, operated by remote control.

"I thought 'wouldn't it be cool to see what people get up to'," said Robert, who entered the competition back in the spring.

He was named a finalist in the competition and as a result appeared in a special edition of That's Genius, which was filmed in Truro, as well as at the National Film Exhibition at St Agnes and on the beach at Holywell Bay.

Robert was also filmed in Plymouth, where a specialist company called Hovercam was commissioned by the BBC to build a Spybird prototype.

The programme was shown on CBBC in early December.

"It was amazing," said Robert. "I got to meet Kirsty and Steve from the programme and two of the CBBC presenters."

Robert then attended a live final at BBC Television Centre in London.

Unfortunately he did not win the vote, but was excited to have been chosen as a finalist and received a CBBC Bug Bag, a bouncy ball and a digital camera for his efforts.

Robert and his Spybird went on to appear on Innovation Nation, an inventions competition for adults, also screened on BBC1.