A COLLEGE was really rocking when it staged an exhibition that was truly out of this world.

For Bishop Rawstorne CE Language College hosted a fabulous display of moon rock samples, lunar dust and meteorites for a week.

The samples, provided by the UK's Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council (PPARC), were collected during NASA's manned space missions to the moon in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

During these missions the Apollo astronauts brought back to Earth 382 kilograms of lunar material.

NASA decided to use a small proportion of the rock and soil to develop lunar and planetary sciences educational packages.

And Bishop Rawstorne took up the offer from PPARC to have the material on display at the Croston college. Pictured are pupils Nicola Marsh, 12, with moon rock samples, and Joe Hipwerr, 13, with a meteorite fragment which were brought.

Karen Parker, science teacher at the school, said: "We held a Space Day last Friday for year eight students.

"They really enjoyed it and took part in a whole variety of activities during, one of which was looking at the moon rock and handling and studying the meteorites that had landed in different parts of the world including a piece they think had come from Mars."

A huge planetarium called the Astrodome was also on display, allowing some 40 people inside to study the constellations and solar system.

Karen added: "They were amazed, there were a couple of sceptics who had heard about the conspiracy theory, but the meteorites were impressive, they were huge chunks of iron and you could see where they had melted where they had come shooting through the atmosphere." She explained too that the items were "uninsureable" and that security had to be tight at the school to ensure the pieces were safe.

"People came to the school and looked around and we had to follow very set procedures," revealed Karen.

PPARC offers a free of charge, short-term loan system of the lunar samples to educational and scientific organisations within the UK.

For further information on moon rock samples, or to book a loan, contact Joanna Evans at PPARC on 01793 442030, or alternatively email joanna.evans@pparc.ac.uk