Mad scientists have been taking over a city school to raise funds for the Inspire Discovery Centre in Norwich.

Explosions and experiments were on the timetable at Eaton Primary School as pupils took part in a fundraising Inspire-ational Day on Friday that collected more than �400.

The year six students decided to hold the scientific extravaganza after hearing about the plight of the science centre in Oak Street which for a number of years has been battling to gather enough funding, and before Christmas suffered repeated break-ins and a flood.

Year six tutor David Arthur, who helped to organise the event along with fellow teachers Alison Thompson and Helen Cocksedge, said: 'We have strong links with the people at Inspire. They have shown our pupils how much fun science can be and so the children wanted to help the centre stay open so that others can also have fun with science.'

'As you can imagine the children are thrilled that they managed to raise so much money for Inspire.'

Dressed in crazy wigs and white coats the whole school enjoyed a day of weird and wonderful experiments that included everything from making paper rockets to setting bubbles on fire.

The day kicked off with a special assembly where Shell Fearn from Inspire and some year six students performed some science demonstrations, before year six led the rest of the school in a series of workshops.

Callum Churchman, 11, said: 'We really enjoy going to Inspire and we want to help them as much as we can.

'I love science because I like making explosions!'

Max Haddon, 10, said: 'I have been to Inspire lots and lots of times and it is so much fun.

'Science is great. I love making things go boom. The experiments for the Inspire-ational Day were really cool.'

Pippin Casbourne, 10, said: 'The people at Inspire have done so much for us and so we wanted to do something for them in return.'

Among the ways the children raised funds was by paying to dress up as mad scientists, selling a special quiz they had created, and having a charity cake stall.

Miss Fearn, from Inspire, said: 'We are so proud of the children and really humbled by how much they want to help Inspire.

'We are absolutely thrilled that they care so much and it is lovely to see the children really enjoying science.'

• To find out more about Inspire Discovery centre go to www.inspirediscoverycentre.com

• Is your school organising an unusual event? Call reporter Emma Knights on 01603 772428 or email emma.knights@archant.co.uk