A MOCK meteor has landed in the grounds of a North-East school.

And, although the monster rock did not arrive from outer space, it is proving a cosmic hit with pupils at Esh Winning Primary School, near Durham City.

The seven metre long rock is an artificial climbing structure and is believed to be the first to be installed at a school in the UK to aid children's motor skill development.

Youngsters involved in the school's Eco Committee were heavily involved in the design of the structure, which was made by Newcastle company Rockworks.

The pupils visited the Summer Hill Centre, in Hartlepool, to test the different climbing rocks there, before returning to their classrooms to model their ideas in plasticine.

Rockworks then used the children's models as a basis for the design of the meteor.

Headteacher Patricia Bateley said: "It offers a stimulating extension to the curriculum, encouraging physical and communication skills, as pupils work in pairs to climb the meteor."

It is hoped the meteor's educational potential will soon become widely recognised and many more structures could appear in schools across the country.

The meteor represents the first wave of enhancement works earmarked for the school site as part of the Esh Winning Eco-Learning Centre development.