Children at a Norwich learned all about flying this week when a 'science boffin' visited their school.

Youngsters at Wensum Junior School, on Turner Road, took part in a workshop organised by Bayer Crop Science to help make science more fun.

'Science boffin' Lucy Atkins took pupils from years three to six through the science behind hot-air balloons and the Wright Brothers' early designs, by encouraging them to make and fly paper and model aeroplanes.

The children also got involved with other demonstrations and races using spinning rockets and helicopters, a flying bird called an ornithopter, glider rockets and hovercraft, and carried out experiments with balloons and ping-pong balls.

Steve Hayman, assistant headteacher at Wensum Junior School said an assembling involving all pupils had gone down particularly well.

He said: 'The whole school assembly was brilliant. Lucy drew the children in with stories about genies in bottles, magic tricks and flying ping-pong balls and then amazed them with the science behind the illusions. They loved it.'

Alicia Evans, a year three pupil, said: 'I loved it when Lucy made the rocket fly around the room. It made this really weird noise. She filled a balloon with air and then let it go.'

'I liked the bit when we made the paper aeroplane,' added fellow year three pupil Muaz Abdu. 'It was really hard but it was the best one I have ever seen.'

The workshop was part of Bayer Crop Science's ongoing Science Boffin scheme which organises workshops involving trained actors at schools nationwide.

As well as telling entertaining stories to draw youngsters in, they encourage pupils to volunteer during the spectacular experiments.

Tim Green, site manager at Bayer CropScience in Norwich, said: 'The Science Boffins deliver fantastic workshops and this morning was no exception. Our aim is, to promote the enjoyable side of science in local schools and by the looks of things, the children here have made great students.'