PEOPLE all over the world will be marking the 40th anniversary next week of man’s first landings on the moon.

On 20 July 1969, Neil Armstrong and fellow colleague Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin left the Eagle landing craft of Apollo 11 to take the first steps somewhere other than earth.

The historic moment was watched by millions and set aspirations for children all over the world who one day thought they might too ‘achieve the unachievable.’

The Accrington Observer dropped into Huncoat Primary School this week to see whether children still want to be the next Neil Armstrong, and what they think of the momentous day.

"I want to be an astronaut," said nine-year-old Christopher Orton, "because you can explore different places and you get to go in a space rocket and you get to jump on the moon.

"It must have felt really exciting to be the first man on the moon.

"I think other people will go on the moon.

"It would scare me at first, but I would like to be one of those people."

Among the pupils at the school in Lynwood Road, Carla Sagar, nine, and Andrew Hurst, 10, wanted to be chefs, eight-year-old Robert Williams, wanted to be a professional footballer, and Shay Fagan, 10, and Holly Thompson, nine, both said they would ‘earn lots of money being an artist.’

Forty years on from the momentous day, such ambitious dreams of becoming an astronaut are perhaps being replaced by more modern-day trends.

Bradley Hart, aged nine, dreams of becoming a street dancer one day, but says he did once dream of becoming an astronaut.

"I wanted to be an astronaut," he said, "because you get to pin a flag on the planet that you find.

"He must have felt really amazed because nobody would have found the moon before and animals would be there and there may be other life in other parts of space.

"I think it’s important to learn about space."

So, although many children these days may not want to take the next giant leap for mankind, the anniversary will be a landmark in American history and this week NASA US space agency have released digitally enhanced footage of the occasion.

Children at Huncoat Primary School said Mr Armstrong must have been "very proud."