EASTER egg took on a different meaning at Forest View Primary School this week when pupils launched an egg into the edge of space with a giant weather balloon.

They were also trying to beak the record for the highest altitude launching of a paper plane at 33,000 metres (108,000ft).

The launch was part of the school’s Space science project and faced them with the challenge of protecting the egg from the fall and from the extreme cold.

They also had to calculate how much air was needed in the balloon and predict its likely flight path and fall back to Earth.

A GPS tracking device and video camera were attached to the balloon to keep tabs on the balloon and monitor its progress.

The launch was delayed because of prevailing weather conditions which led the modelling software to predict it coming down in the English Channel.

At the end the day the balloon ‘only’ managed to attain an altitude of about 25,000 metres (82,000ft) which ruled out the paper plane record and returned to earth somewhere to the South of Glastonbury.

“All in all we are very pleased with the way it went and the children very very enthusiastic, said head teacher Ben Lyons.

“The topic really captured the children’s imagination and the quality of the work the children have produced has been incredible and has taught them valuable life skills.

“It was a whole school effort involving all 280 pupils aged from five to 11.”