Budding astronauts were thrilled to find out about life in space, live from a resident of the International Space Station.

Year Five pupils at Maldon Court Preparatory School, in Silver Street, took part in a live web link conversation with astronaut Major Tim Peake as part of a ‘Cosmic Classroom’ event involving 10,000 children around the UK.

During the weblink conversation last Tuesday, Major Peake gave a science lesson from space, demonstrating how a bubble of water in space grows when a fizzing water tablet is added, while pupils learnt how the heart beats slower in space, causing astronauts to need exercise every day to keep the organ healthy for their return to Earth.

Pupil Thomas Philips said: “It was interesting and weird how the bubble of water grew when he added the fizzing vitamin tablet.”

The Cosmic Classroom event was hosted by the World Museum in Liverpool.

Lily Barnes said: “I liked it when he disappeared from sight because he could push upwards and float away.”

During the gravity-defying science lesson which thrilled the children, Major Peake would have been travelling at around five miles per second, or just over 17,000 miles per hour on the International Space Station.

Pupils even managed to grab a picture with the astronaut during the live weblink.

Class teacher for the nine to 10-year-olds, Emma Clark, said: “It was an amazing opportunity for the children to see Major Tim Peake live in space performing some simple tasks that we take for granted, like having a drink or moving around.”