Space, the Friday frontier

PUPILS are pictured with the Starchaser rocket.

“THREE-TWO-ONE, blast-off,” was the cry at Alt Primary School when pupils gathered to launch a rocket in the school grounds.

Youngsters celebrated their final day of term on Friday with a visit from Hyde-based rocket company, Starchaser and a 10-metre tall rocket.

Around 200 pupils got the chance to see the spacecraft close up and quiz the owners on all aspects of space travel.

The space day was organised by Year 5 teacher Rob Hollingsworth, who contacted the company through its work with Salford University. It was the culmination of a space project for Year 5 students, and Mr Hollingsworth said: “They absolutely loved it.”

Youngsters from Year 5 used a pressurised air launcher to blast their own hand-made paper rockets into the sky — with a contest to find the one which shot furthest.

Then rocket experts launched a one metre rocket 100 feet into the air to show pupils its power and speed as they watched from the school grounds.