A BALLOONIST dropped in at a primary school this week to teach children about the science of flying.

Children at South Hetton Primary, in east Durham, were given the chance to see close up the hot air balloon flown by Christian Brown and Richard Turnbull.

The aim was to teach them about the theory of flight and, after a talk by Mr Brown, the 15 metre high balloon was inflated in the school grounds for the children to see.

Headteacher Jane Best said: "The children were very excited about it. They would never see something like that close up otherwise."

The primary school was one of four in the North visited by the npower balloon.