British astronaut Tim Peake was at Woolsthorpe Manor today (Mon) to plant a sapling grown from seeds he took with him into space.

The National Trust property is one of the winners of a competition to find homes for eight saplings grown from apple pips from Sir Isaac Newton's Flower of Kent tree at Woolsthorpe - the home of iconic scientist Sir Isaac Newton who drew out the principles of gravity after seeing an apple fall.

Tim Peake took the seeds with him when he went to the International Space Station on the British European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut's Principia mission in 2015.

The seeds spent six months floating in microgravity as part of the 'Pips in Space' project and on their return to Earth in 2016, the well-travelled pips went to Wakehurst, Kew's wild botanic garden in Sussex and home to the Millennium Seed Bank, where they spent 90 days at 5°C to simulate the winter cold needed to break dormancy.

In May 2017, they were warmed to 15°C and the young seedlings started to emerge.

Speaking today Tim Peake said: "These trees are truly unique. They come from the iconic apple tree that inspired Sir Isaac Newton to ponder the forces of gravitation and continues to inspire to this day.

"My mission to space was named Principia in homage to Newton's defining work that included his world-changing ideas about gravity.

"I wanted my Principia mission to inspire others, particularly young people, with the adventure of space and the excitement of science.

"Now, thanks to the careful nurturing at Kew, the apple pips that flew with me into space have grown into fine young trees which I hope will continue to inspire potential Isaac Newtons."

Ian Cooper, General Manager for the National Trust, said: "Isaac Newton's time back home at Woolsthorpe in his Year of Wonders in 1665 to 1666 transformed scientific thinking, the impact of which is still felt today.

"As the trees grow and mature at their new homes, the partnerships we've formed in this project will enable us to share Newton's fascinating story with new people, hopefully inspiring curiosity and a passion for scientific endeavour."

The successful applications for the space saplings had to demonstrate a commitment to inspiring people through sharing stories of science, space exploration, physics, horticulture and conservation.

Dr Anne Visscher, Career Development Fellow, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, said: "We are delighted to have been part of such an exciting project.

"Apple seeds can lose viability if not stored properly, so we made sure they were kept at low humidity during their time in space.

"After their return to Earth, we germinated them in our seed bank laboratories before handing them over to the nursery team, who have gone out of their way to keep the young trees healthy.

"We are hopeful that they will continue to mature in their new homes around the country whilst engaging visitors with their history of Newton, space travel and plant science."

The UK Space Agency, the National Trust and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, worked together on the saplings project.