CSI came to Swindon College yesterday as forensic science students investigated a simulated car crash mystery – complete with cars, witnesses and two ‘dead’ bodies.

Twenty first-year students on the BTEC Applied Science (Forensic Science) course donned protective clothing and rubber gloves to investigate a murder mystery – which began with two accident victims on a collision course.

Alishka Lopes, forensic science lecturer at the North Star Avenue college, said year two students, who themselves had a crash simulation last year, devised the scenario.

She said: “Last year the students had a similar investigation to do but this one is far more complex.

“Today is about testing their analysis skills – checking victims for signs of life, collecting evidence, analysing CCTV, interviewing witnesses, then coming to conclusions. It is going to be so useful to them.”

The students found there was more to this car crash than met the eye.

Piecing together the evidence in the cars, they discovered the male victim had recently confronted his brother over defrauding people, got drunk and then got behind the wheel, intent on coming clean to the police before disaster struck.

They had to negotiate their way round several red herrings which were thrown in, such as fraud documents in the dead man’s car, which Alishka said was to help the students develop their forensic skills.

“This will really test their investigative abilities – they can’t assume anything and they have to let the evidence lead them to the right conclusions,” she said.

The college kept the production of the scene in-house, with students from their media make-up course applying broken glass and fake blood to two performing arts students from Wilkes Academy, Mead Way, playing the unfortunate victims, with the cars donated by two students.

Harry Freeman, 18, from Wilkes Academy, who played the unlucky drunk driver – and wore a prosthetic eyepiece simulating a shard of glass piercing his face – said while the job of playing dead appeared easy, it was anything but.

“It’s actually harder than it looks to genuinely appear dead, and it was quite disturbing, especially when people are prodding and poking you, checking your pockets, feeling your pulse and looking in your hair.”

Melissa Hadgkiss, 17, who wants to be a microbiologist, said the day has enhanced her ability to spot important evidence at crime scenes.

“It’s good to do practical side of learning as you are doing it in what feels like a real life situation,” she said.

“It’s been stressful too as you have to extract the evidence and make sure you’re not missing out on anything. We’re really enjoying it though.”