Crewe-based Wrights Food Group has seen one of its pies sent into space as part of a project to support the 2016 KMF Young Engineer of the Year Competition.

Wrights sponsored Madeley High School, one of 23 schools competing to Send to Space. The first part of the competition involved schools taking aerial photographs, using equipment provided by KMF. The 12 students from Madeley High School decided to place a Wrights pie in a capsule created from polystyrene, then sent it up into space with a single balloon.

To trace the pie’s journey, the school used a tracking device added to the capsule, as well as two GoPro cameras, so they could capture a selfie once the pie had reached its highest point of around 22km.

The tracker also allowed the pie to be retrieved intact.

Wrights chairman and CEO Peter Wright said: “It’s really important to us that we inspire young engineers. When we found out about the competition we were more than happy to sponsor the school. On behalf of Wrights we’d like to congratulate the school for successfully managing to send one of our pies into space.”

Wrights Food Group is celebrating its 90th birthday this year.