A maths whizz has solved a problem which had the best brains in the world scratching their heads - in his lunch hour.

Boffins at the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) set the geometry puzzle, which originally appeared in a Chinese university entry test, to highlight what they say is a growing gulf in brains between Britain and China.

But software engineer David Brockley, 34, made a mockery of the idea that Britons are slipping behind the emerging super power's population by solving the riddle within minutes.

The father-of-one, from Shoreham, sat down and breezed through it on his lunch hour. He was then selected from a number of other correct entries sent to the RSC to scoop a £500 prize for his efforts.

The puzzle sparked international fame, with almost a million people logging on to a website to try and crack it.

Internet blogs and newspaper articles were also written across the globe as boffins wrestled with the geometry puzzle.

But Mr Brockley, a former physicist whose hobby is astronomy, said: "I am amazed and delighted. It's wonderful to have won a competition that was so popular in so many countries."

The 34-year-old's triumph has proved British brains are every bit as good as Chinese.

But the RSC still believe the difficulty level of the puzzle - which young students are facing in China with increasing regularity during their normal education - highlights differences between the British and Chinese education systems.

A spokesman said: "It highlights the difference in expectations between England and China in the content and standard of mathematics for chemistry students entering their first year at university.

"It also illustrated the unintended consequences of school league tables in England that adversely affects the teaching of mathematics in this country."

However Kings College London maths professor William Shaw dismissed the comparison, saying British students simply have a different approach to maths, but that did not mean they were less able.

He said: "We should not damage our international brand with foolish comparisons."

For Mr Brockley however the problem was fairly basic. He said: "It wasn't too difficult."

The RSC has issued some handy hint and tips for anyone attempting to solve the puzzle themselves.

Dr Richard Pike, RSC Chief Executive, said: "The question required knowledge of geometry within a prism, and the ability to visualise the orientation of lines and planes in three dimensions.

"This has application in the analysis of crystal structures, but is also relevant to art, engineering and architecture. The key to its solution was to recognise that the prism had the cross-section of a kite."