A weather balloon launched to the edge of space by Llanfair Caereinion school pupils was a resounding success.

Hundreds of primary and secondary pupils watched the helium-filled balloon's launch from the school car park on Friday, April 5.

An image taken at the edge of space by one of the weather balloon's cameras shows a drawing of Mr Urdd by a Llanfair Caereinion CP School pupil.

It is believed that this is the first time that the mascot of Wales' largest youth organisation has been sent to the edge of space on a weather balloon.

Throughout the day school children and students have been tracking the location of the weather balloon online during its two-hour voyage zig-zagging above Mid Wales, Denbighshire, Pontesbury in Shropshire before landing back into Wales near Chirk.

The space-themed project is part of the Rolls-Royce Schools Prize which Caereinion High School is a finalist.

Vickie Faulkner, school technician, says today's event would not have happened without funding from the major science project.

"It was great. This is the first time that this has happened at the school and there was a real buzz.

"We are very lucky to get support from the Rolls-Royce Science Prize," she added.