FORGET James Dyson, Thomas Edison and Leonardo da Vinci, an ingenious Ammanford schoolgirl is staking her claim for a place among the inventing greats.

Nia Williams, a sixth form pupil at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman, scooped first price at the Big Bang Fair Cymru 2012 National Science and Engineering Competition with her innovative design for a trendy digital camera for girls.

The super-smart 16- year-old dreamed up, designed and built a prototype of her brilliant Lipstick Camera.

And the Lipstick Camera does exactly what it says on the tin – a fully functioning digital camera and video recorder in the shape and style of a lipstick, although Nia’s prototype currently stands about six inches tall.

“The competition brief was to design an electronic product,” said Nia, from Pantyffynnon Road, “so I decided to create a digital camera for teenage girls.

“That’s when I had the idea of a camera the size of a lipstick that girls could take out in their handbag.”

But not only has she designed and produced the prototype, she has also written the instruction manual and created the packaging.

Nia’s camera initially came about as part of her GCSE in product design, but examiners entered her into the Big Bang Cymru competition.

Unsurprisingly, Nia strolled to success.

“I have always liked making things, even when I was younger, but this definitely the best thing I have ever done. I absolutely love it,” she said.

“The feeling when the judges announced my name was incredible.

“I’m just a little girl from Ammanford and I was up against all these people from posh private schools. I thought I had no chance.

“When they called my name, I was fighting back the tears.”

Modest Nia, who is currently study for five Alevels, was quick to praise teachers Elizabeth Atkinson and Richard Jones.

“They were brilliant and really helpful,” said Nia, “I could not have done it without them.

“Winning the competition has made me feel that I can achieve anything – with the right support, of course.”

Nia is already planning to contact major international camera manufacturers to discuss mass producing her Lipstick Camera.

“There is nothing like this currently on the market so I think it has potential,” she said.

Nia will now take her Lipstick Camera to the Big Bang UK final in London’s Excel Arena in March.