Top secret lunar rocks and meteorites land in Northbury Primary School, Barking

Maheen Rizwan, teacher Steve Murtagh and Sophie Davouloury with part of a meteorite (Image: Archant)

But security surrounding the moon rocks loaned to Northbury Primary School last week was so tight the Post wasn’t allowed to run this story until they were safely off the premises.

Northbury school pupils study some moon rocks (Image: Archant)

Year 5 pupils at the school in Barking also met retired Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield, who became a YouTube sensation after recording a cover of David Bowie’s Space Oddity while on board the International Space Station last year.

Northbury school pupils with a map of the moon (Image: Archant)

The security was part of the Train Like an Astronaut project, which coincided with National Astronomy Week.

Northbury was provided with samples of meteorite and lunar rock by the Science and Technology Facilities Council.

The rocks, which were brought back to earth by Apollo astronauts, are so valuable that the school was instructed to maintain radio silence about them.

As part of the deal they also had to keep them secure.

Science co-ordinator Kulzinder Johal said: “It gives the pupils an experience that is rare – possibly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity – and one filled with excitement and amazement.

“I hope it inspires them to extend themselves and think beyond a classroom, and a school, and into the wider world.

“Our school has been very fortunate to be able to acquire the lunar samples and a meteorite collection through the Science and Technologies Council.”

Zuhara Abdi, nine, told the Post: “It’s like being a real astronaut, being able to hold them.”

Nine-year-old Elanda Sina said: “It was like being in space.”

National Astronomy Week ran until Saturday.

Many of the schoolchildren also visited University College London’s astronomy festival and had the chance to find out more about space from UCL Professor Dr Francisco Diego.