A PIECE OF Second World War history came to Blackburn today as a Cambridge University academic brought a genuine Enigma machine to town.

The code-cracking device was vital in interpreting Nazi messages and is estimated to have shorted the conflict by several years and saved thousands of lives.

And 75 Blackburn secondary school pupils were lucky enough to get their hands on one of only a dozen of the remaining original devices.

It was brought to Pleckgate High School Maths and Commuting College by Cambridge University academic Dr James Grime as part of a special project.

Pupils from the Independent State Schools Partnership - Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Beardwood Humanities College, Blakewater College and Tauheedul Islam Girls High School - were also invited.

The working Enigma machine was used to teach youngsters the maths behind creating and cracking codes.

Dr Grime also gave a presentation about the World War II machine and the history of codes.

Judy Mallam, co-ordinator Independent State Schools Partnership which is led by Pleckgate, said they were delighted by their 'coup'.

She said: "We look for activities which will inspire and excel children in maths.

"The Enigma machine takes maths out of the classroom and has given children a glimpse of how they can apply the subject."

Jack Ormerod, 12, from Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Blackburn, was impressed.

He said: "I think the Enigma machine is really clever and code breaking is really good.

"I know more about codes and I'm more interested in maths."

Noor Ainekar, 13, from Beardwood Humanities College, Blackburn, agreed, adding: "It is really good learning how to break codes.

"It is easier than I thought to use them but you have to understand how they work."

The machine is owned by Simon Singh, a journalist and TV producer who specialises in science and mathematics.

It has been taken around the country since 2004 as part of a special educational project.

Dr Grime said: "We want to show an exciting application of mathematics to inspire children as well as demonstrating that it is a creative subject."

>>> ENIGMA FACTS

The military version of the Enigma machine was used by Nazi Germany before and during World War II.

It was first invented in 1918 by a German businessmen who sold it commercially to banks.

The codes were changed daily by Enigma machine encrypters making it almost impossible to break.

The Poles broke the Enigma's code in 1932 they then passed on the information to Great Britain and France in 1939.

Mathematician Alan Turing developed the Polish code breakers' formula in Bletchley Park and created the Bombe: an electro-mechanical machine which reduced the odds, and time required, to break the Enigma keys.

It allowed an estimated 3,000 messages to be intercepted.

Hollywood made a film about Enigma called U-571. But it was widely criticised for portraying a fictional American bid to capture to machine, but making no mention of the British effort.