School pupils reached for the stars from their own classroom this week, as they investigated a collection of rare moon rocks and meteorites.

The children at West Hatch High School in Chigwell saw a 1.2 billion-year-old piece of Mars and a 4.3 billion-year-old piece of nickel, and they even got to hold a meteorite.

Science teacher Phillip Peters organised the opportunity as year seven and eight pupils studied astronomy.

There were also after-school sessions allowing more students and staff to see the unique collection.

The samples were collected during the 1960s and 1970s during some of NASA’s first manned missions, and they were provided by the UK’s Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC).

Professor John Womersley, STFC’s chief executive officer, said: “This is a great opportunity for young people to be able to see, touch and really experience such important and exciting messengers from space - turning science fiction into science fact.”