Children from two West Cumbrian schools are taking part in a space project with British astronaut Tim Peake.

They are planting seeds that have spent six months in zero gravity and seeds that have not. They will monitor and compare their growth.

Children at Derwent Vale Primary School in Great Clifton have already emailed Mr Peake on the International Space Station and had a reply thanking them for their help.

Teacher Heather Greer said: “They are now using words like micro-gravity. Some of them are expecting the plants to be aliens.

“I have tried to explain that alien could also mean they are plants that will not grow in this place.”

At Crosscanonby St John’s Primary School, near Maryport, amateur astronomer Chris Perry talked pupils about the space station and the programme.

Chris Steele, headteacher, said the whole school would be involved, and added: "The children are very excited and have been hypothesising about what might happen. I hope something does.”

While the children grow their plants, Mr Peake will do the same in space.

The project is run by the UK Space Agency in conjunction with the Royal Horticultural Society.

The seed batches are in two different packs but the the children will not know which are the space seeds.

At the end of the project findings will be sent to the space agency, with the results published later.