A Beckenham lab technician who works at Sedgehill School is one of just five Britons shortlisted for a one-way trip to colonise Mars.

Christine Rigby is among the final 100 candidates for the Mars One Project which plans to set up a permanent human settlement on the planet by 2024.

More than 200,000 people applied for the controversial privately-funded mission that organisers have estimated will cost six billion dollars and is set to be filmed for a reality television series.

Ms Rigby, 35, who works at Sedgehill School in Catford, said: "I want to be remembered for doing something great. I think it's time for humans to leave the Earth and start living somewhere else and I have the skills to help make that happen."

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In total, 50 men and 50 women have been shortlisted from around the world, including 39 from the Americas, 31 from Europe, 16 from Asia, seven from Africa and seven from Oceania.

Ms Rigby prepared for the experience in Christmas 2013 by locking herself away for two weeks with her boyfriend to see how she would cope with the isolation.

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She told News Shopper last year: "I'm a scientist, I love doing science, that's one of the reasons I work in a school. This would give me the opportunity to do cutting edge research.

"Being a technician I get to do a lot of types of science in any given day I could be doing chemistry, physics, biology and geology. This gives me a broad range of skills."

The shortlisted people were selected from a pool of 660 candidates after taking part in online interviews with the mission's chief medical officer Norbert Kraft, where they were tested on their understanding of the risks involved, team spirit and motivation to be part of the expedition.

Dutch entrepreneur Bas Lansdorp, co-founder of Mars One, said: "The large cut in candidates is an important step towards finding out who has the right stuff to go to Mars. These aspiring martians provide the world with a glimpse into who the modern day explorers will be."

Candidates that were not selected will have a chance to re-apply in a new application round that will open later this year.