A SCHOOLBOY met his astronaut hero and the Prime Minister at a Downing Street reception.

Zak Hughes, 13, from Great Ayton, near Stokesley, took part in a competition to ask British astronaut, Major Tim Peake, to take a photograph of a site on earth from outer space during his recent six month mission.

Zak, who attends Stokesley School, suggested the site of the Al Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan, which is now home to about 80,000 people but didn't exist a few years ago.

The space crew took the picture and will now be able to compare it to archive photographs of the then empty desert space. A presentation of the two photographs will take place at a special event to celebrate Major Peake's mission in October.

Zak's father, Simon Hughes, explained that other children in different age groups also won the competition and attended the London event.

He said: "Tim Peake was fantastic with all the children. He didn't talk down to them and was inspiring. He really got it."

Prime Minister Theresa May said: "I am very pleased to welcome Tim Peake home from his mission in space. I hope his achievements will inspire students across the country to become Britain’s astronauts, scientists, and engineers of the future.”