A SCHOOL hall turned into a laboratory of lunacy and laughs when Professor Pumpernickel showed youngsters the marvels of science.

Ormsgill Nursery and Primary School in Mill Bank, Barrow, received a visit from the crazy character who performed magnificent and explosive experiments on Monday.

Smoke rings, colour-changing liquids and fire tornadoes enchanted the audience of pupils as the scientist demonstrated the wonders of physics, biology and chemistry.

With wild blue hair, goofy orange glasses and white lab coat, Professor Pumpernickel delivered a truly spectacular show.

Last one p, promise, keep your eyes on the middle, the look at Prof. Pumpernickel's head...

Posted by Ormsgill Nursery and Primary School on Monday, March 14, 2016

Mick Cull, headteacher of Ormsgill Nursery and Primary School, said the pupils were amazed by all the different demonstrations and magic tricks. 

He said: "They loved it. Hearing the oohs and ahhs from the children was great. They were really impressed.

"It was very exciting and engaging. There was an exciting iodine experiment where he changed the colour of some different liquids, he blew big smoke rings, he did a genie in a bottle experiment, looked at sound waves and created a vortex with flames.

"It was very much promoting the children using scientific vocabulary which I thought was fantastic, even for nursery children."

Professor Pumpernickel, aka Dieter Wadeson, visits schools, festivals and events across Cumbria and the North West, bringing his German accent and comedic impressions with him.

The event was put on to mark the start of British Science Week which runs until Sunday March 20.

Behind all the fun and madness there was some serious learning to be had, with pupils taught about different gases, chemical reactions and air pressure.

Mr Cull said: "It was just to emphasis the excitement that comes with science and make the children pose that question: 'why?' - that's what we wanted to get across this Science Week."

Iodine + starch = "wow", "ohhhhh, ahhhh"

Posted by Ormsgill Nursery and Primary School on Monday, March 14, 2016