SCIENCE City York is celebrating its tenth birthday in style.

To celebrate the festival's tenth anniversary later this year broadcaster and scientist Adam Hart-Davis will become patron of the event which this year runs from March 9 to 18.

Adam's link with York and the scientific world extends back to 1965 when he studied at the University of York for his DPhil in Chemistry.

He said: "I was thrilled to be asked. This is my third year of involvement with the festival and I'm proud to be associated with such an important event for a fabulous city.

"The festival is a huge undertaking and all credit to the team at Science City York and everyone involved. Their hard work and expertise engages thousands of people in science and technology every year."

Festival organiser Amy Parkinson said 2007 is particularly special for science and the city.

She said: "This year marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Thomas Cooke, York's internationally-renowned maker of scientific instruments, and September sees the International BA Festival of Science returning to York for the first time since 1981."

This year's festival coincides with National Science and Engineering week and the festival's main theme will be sustainability.

Highlights will include the Green Buggy Challenge in which families can compete to devise the most efficient, environmentally friendly buggy and the Discovery Days exhibition with activities ranging from how to work out your own "carbon footprint" through to investigating your ear canal and seeing your own ear drum.

Adam will be busy in the lead up to the festival judging entries for the 2007 Photography Competition and will be meeting this year's winners at a special prize-giving event on March 18.

For a full list of festival events contact Science City York on 01904 554533.