Scouts fire handmade rockets up to 1,000ft

Richard Price, the leader of 4th Guernsey Air Scouts, organised the activity, which saw a group of 10-14-year-olds assemble their rockets in the morning and launch them from Les Maingys later that afternoon.

‘I didn’t think it was going to happen,’ said Mr Price, who had the idea but was only able to put it into action once he had sourced the equipment and secured permission from air traffic control.

The rockets were powered by Estes rocket motors which are designed specifically for the job.

‘They will go up to 1,000ft in the air, blow the top off and a parachute will come out if all goes to plan,’ said Mr Price before the first rocket was launched.

The Scouts, who were doing the activity for the first time, were hopeful, but not sure if it would live up to expectations.

‘We don’t know if they are going to go 2ft up or 1,000ft up,’ said James Hancock, 11.

However, the Scouts, plus the Beavers and Cubs who gathered to watch, got to find out after Mr Price was given clearance to fire the first two by air traffic control.

Josh Silk, 11, had his phone at the ready to record his rocket, which went hundreds of feet up in the air.

‘It was fun, I lost my parachute but it was still cool,’ he said.

He said he had done many interesting things since joining the Scouts.

‘Last year I went up in the [RAF] Chinook,’ he said. ‘It was like an early birthday present.’

Four of the seven rockets that were fired launched as planned, with two of the parachutes coming back down into the Les Maingys field.

Mr Price said that now he had the launch kit and other equipment he was keen to put the activity on again next year.