Spaceman Tim Peake to visit pupils

Major Peake will be opening the University Technical College (UTC) in Hilsea and speak to the youngsters.

UTC principal Ciaran O’Dowda said: ‘We’re wildly excited about Tim Peake formally opening our new college.

‘The feeling among students is almost one of disbelief.

‘They find it quite hard to believe that a person who they have seen on the television and has orbited the Earth several hundred times is going to come to terra firma and share his experiences.

The 10m facility specialises in science, technology, engineering and maths.

Principal O’Dowda added: ‘It really is a huge honour and privilege for us.’

Britain’s first man in space was born in Chichester, grew up in Westbourne and studied at the University of Portsmouth.

He spent six months on board the International Space Station (ISS) before returning to Earth in a Russian-built Soyuz capsule.