SCIENCE-MAD student Molly Taylor made her television debut and explored her fascination with space at the same time.

The 12-year-old Talbot Heath School pupil appeared in Royal Institution lectures on the BBC when the series explored life on board the International Space Station.

Molly attended the second lecture, entitled How to Survive in Space: Life in Orbit and was thrilled to be called up on stage by presenter Kevin Fong.

The Bournemouth schoolgirl was selected as a volunteer to be dressed in a build-your-own spacesuit.

Molly said science is her favourite subject and that she found the lecture and the experience exciting and fascinating.

She added: "I was really happy when I was chosen at the lecture because I really wanted to be involved and learn more about space.

"I love space because there are always new things to learn about and you never know where astronauts will go next."

Talbot Heath, an independent girls' school in Rothesay Road, is running a series of space-related events to tie in with British astronaut Tim Peake's time at the International Space Station.

Pupils and parents were invited to a lecture from local space expert Bill Coombes and an inflatable planetarium is due to arrive at the school later this term.