A UNIVERSITY adventurer who managed to send a camera to the edge of space is helping amateur explorers follow in his footsteps.

Alex Baker, 29, of Teesdale, joined with fellow University of Sheffield student Chris Rose, 28, three years ago to launch a £350 home-made low-tech craft.

The pair used a discarded Styrofoam box, which they found in a university bin bound with gaffa tape which they attached to a helium balloon.

They fitted two cameras, one which only cost £40, and they launched it at Ashbourne, in Derbyshire, for the flight which reached a height of 37km.

The flight lasted two hours and 50 minutes before the craft landed in Strethall, Cambridgeshire, 104 miles from its launch point.

The cameras captured images showing the curvature of the Earth despite it being in temperatures of between -30C and -50C.

In order to help others launch a similar device for between £170 and £500 Mr Baker, of South Side, near to Butterknowle, and Mr Rose, of Derbyshire, have launched a website.

Mr Baker, who is studying for a doctorate in engineering, said: “The website shows people how to build a craft which is more or less the same as the one we used.

“Lots of people were asking us how to do it so we thought it would be easier to set up a website for people to view.

“We’ve had interest from people across Europe, Australia, America, Russia and other countries. We can’t send people into space, but this is the next best thing.”

The website can be accessed at sentintospace.com