The world will today watch Tim Peake go where no Briton has gone before by launching into space to become a member of the International Space Station (ISS) in orbit around Earth.

But in a small corner of Perthshire children at the local school and other residents will be glued to the TV images as they celebrate a local connection.

Youngsters at Comrie Primary School are well acquainted with the Peake family – as the army major's wife Rebecca grew up in the town and they regularly return with ir two children Oliver, four, and Thomas, six.

Headteacher Ruth Billingham said the community had been gripped by his exploits. Peake, 43, who will spend up to a year in space as part of preparations to eventually sent humans to Mars, will take off on board a rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 11am.

Ms Billingham said: “There’s a sense of amazement about the whole rocket launch. There has been quite a buzz in the village. The kids have been asking a lot of questions like ‘which class will I be in when he gets back?’ and ‘what happens if something goes wrong?

“It is something so different. With these things, you don’t usually see a British astronaut, let alone someone with a local connection. It opens up the children’s ideas of what is achievable. It opens up possibilities and it brings engineering to the forefront. It is quite inspirational.”

The school children will be going to Comrie Parish Church this morning to watch the launch of Principia.

Members of the community will gather at the local community tonight to celebrate Peake’s achievement.

Family friend Doug Smart said: “There is a lot of buzz about the place. In typical Comrie fashion, people have embraced it. This seems to have captured everyone’s imagination.

“It is a busy time of year but it is a once in a lifetime opportunity as a lot of people here actually know an astronaut.

“They are delighted! Rebecca’s parents are in Kazakhstan but there are extended family members who couldn’t make it out there.”

Peake is eagerly looking forward to his first glorious view of Planet Earth seen from space.

Speaking at a press conference on the eve of his historic launch to the International Space Station (ISS) tomorrow, he was asked what he was looking forward to most about the mission.

He said: "It really has to be the view of Planet Earth.

"I don't think anything can truly prepare you for that moment and that will occur in the Soyuz spacecraft once we get injected into orbit I'll be able to look out the right window and see the beautiful view of Planet Earth."

He also revealed that Christmas had nearly slipped his mind in the hectic run up to the launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

Speaking alongside his two crew member colleagues from behind a glass partition, as they are in isolation to prevent them picking up viruses, he said: "You know, we've been so busy focused on this mission that I kind of forgot Christmas was just over a week away.

"Of course we'll be enjoying the fantastic view of Planet Earth and our thoughts will be with everybody on Earth enjoying Christmas, and with our friends and family, of course.

"We'll thankfully be able to give them a call on Christmas Day."

"I also hear a Christmas pudding went up on Orbital Four (a supply mission to the space station), so we'll have some treats as well."

Peake, 43, who is also the first fully British professional astronaut, is employed by the European Space Agency.

It will take 8mins 48secs for the Soyuz rocket to get into orbit, and around six hours to catch up with the ISS.