AN eight-year-old schoolgirl from Lymm has won a global competition that asked children to design a solution that would make deaf people’s lives easier.

Betty Seabrook, a pupil at Ravenbank Primary School was the UK winner in the Ideas4Ears competition, organised by hearing implant makers MED-EL.

Her invention of a cycle helmet designed for those with an audio processor and cochlear implant was inspired by her family bike rides.

Betty said: “My Dad had a RONDO audio processor for four years and now wears a RONDO 2.

"He loves it and it makes it easier to talk to him but he can't find a cycle helmet to fit.

"We like going on bike rides and I worry he might get hurt.

"He thinks it is more important to be able to hear but I wish he could do both.”

The helmet invention has a hard shell and a foam lining with lift out panels on both sides to fit over an audio processor.

The lining fixes to the helmet shell with velcro and has lots of holes for ventilation.

The lift out parts can also be adjusted as not everyone has an implant in the same place. The idea could also be applied for motorbike and skiing helmets, or even hard hats for builders.

More than 335 entries were submitted worldwide from 19 different countries. From all the entries, the top nine worldwide inventions were chosen as winners for a prestigious trip.

Betty is the UK winner for her special sports helmet design for people who wear hearing implants. 

Betty added: "I can't explain how it feels, I am so happy, I didn't expect to win.

"I'm really excited about the trip because it is the first time I will have been on a plane and I am really looking forward to seeing Austria. "I want my Dad to wear a bike helmet but he can't without taking his processor off which would be more dangerous.

"My bike helmet has a foam lining and I just thought, why can't we make one with space for an implant?"

Betty has won a trip for her and her family to visit the MED-EL headquarters in Innsbruck.

She will make the all-expenses paid trip to Austria with her family in June alongside the other winners from across the globe.