MAJOR Tim Peake has revealed how astronauts play ping pong in space thanks to a grilling by Cumbrian schoolboy Cody Greaves.

Cody, eight, was one of just six schoolchildren from across the country to be selected to speak directly to the astronaut as he travels in outer space.

Dubbed the Cosmic Classroom, 300 children were invited to the World Museum in Liverpool for the live link-up with the International Space Station (ISS).

The 20-minute Q&A with the British astronaut on the ISS, which is 250 miles above the Earth, was also broadcast live on the internet and watched by some 300,000 UK schoolchildren.

Cody and 23 classmates from Shap Primary School travelled to Merseyside for yesterday’s event.

Cody was the third child to pose a question to the British astronaut, asking Major Peake ‘Is it fun drinking water out of a bubble?’

It prompted the astronaut to demonstrate how you drink water when experiencing weightlessness.

Youngsters were enthralled as he squeezed water from a silver carton, forming a floating bubble which he went on to capture in his mouth.

He also went on to expand on what other things you can do with water in space, sparking laughter and applause from the live audience.

It included a demonstration of how a bubble of water can be used as a ping pong ball, with Major Peake producing a pair of ‘hydrophobic’ bats to tap it around in zero gravity.

He also put a vitamin tablet into the water bubble to show how it fizzes in space.

Major Peake also took part in a game of ‘Follow My Leader’ where he was asked to crouch down, spin around and touch his toes.

Headteacher Anne Maud and teacher Vicki Capstick, who share the teaching of the year three/four class, were among the four adults to accompany the Shap schoolchildren.

Mrs Maud said afterwards: “It was the most amazing experience that we have ever had and will ever have again.

“I think we’ve just all realised that Cody spoke to Tim Peake and in fact Tim spoke to Cody. He said his name.

“It was out of this world, quite literally. We’re still bowled over that it has actually happened.”

She added: “It was over so quickly but the whole day has been a wonderful experience. I think Cody’s a little shell-shocked.

“We did a run through earlier and Cody was one of six selected on the day. It was going to be 11 but they whittled it down to six.”

Cody said: “It was really exciting and I’m really happy. It is the best lesson I’ve ever had.”

Vicki said: “The whole day has been absolutely fantastic – a real once-in-a-lifetime experience. It is amazing to think he was speaking to us from space. It takes everything to another level. As a teacher there is only so much I can teach them about space. Speaking to a real-life astronaut is something else.”

The day trip also included children enjoying a series of science workshops.

They included getting the chance to face some medical tests to see if they had what it takes to be an astronaut.

The 43-year-old from Chichester, West Sussex – the first British astronaut to carry out a spacewalk – is more than a month into a six-month mission on board the ISS, carrying out experiments and research. He is expected to return in June.