A TEENAGER has stunned scientists by proving the possibility of life on Mars.

Edwin Kite, 17, discovered the planet could have sustained algae-like life between three and four thousand million years ago.

He represented the UK in the Life In The Universe competition held at the European Particle Physics lab in Geneva, Switzerland.

He beat 60 teams from 22 countries to win a trip to Nasa's astrobiology lab in Madrid, reports the Daily Mirror.

Edwin presented models of the Martian atmosphere over thousands of millions of years and used his own computer programme to design a rocket which could make the trip to Mars.

Edwin said: "What I found is that Mars could have supported some form of life. But to know for sure we would have to go there. That presents problems as getting there would be no problem but coming back would be a different prospect."

Edwin, of St Cuthbert's School in Benwell, Newcastle, has now been offered the chance to work at the European Space Agency Research and Development Centre in Holland next summer.