Magna Science Adventure Centre, Rotherham

The Awesome Foursome was exactly that!!

The staff were absolutely fantastic, every one of them.

They start you with the zip wire to get you in the mood then you move into another area for the real stuff.

The music was at full blast and the lights were low and the nerves had to be ignored.

Next stop the 'abseil', 160 feet in the air and the guy says 'step backwards off of the platform when you're ready!!!!!' Loved it!

Next one is the 'power fan'. Again 160 feet up and you're harnessed and wired. This one was 'step forward when you're ready' WOW!!! You step forward and you drop at great speed until the braking system cuts in.....what a buzz!!

Finally, the big one, THE BUNGEE!!!

There was a guy a few people in front who was petrified and just couldn't bring himself to jump, he eventually went to great applause and cheers from the rest of us in the queue. If you're nervous, keep calm and ignore!

When it was my turn, I must admit my heart was beating pretty fast, I stepped to the edge and did exactly as I was told "palms facing down on pillars so I can see the fingers, look straight ahead, when I say 3...2....1....bungee!! Jump!!" WOOHOO!!! Throwing yourself off of a platform 160 foot up in the air is.....well different!!

Would i do it again??? Can't wait!!

Go on...Just Do It!!

Magna is a Science Adventure Centre in Tinsley which is just inside Rotherham- Magna is only a few yards from the boundary!

The car park entrance is behind the building which is a fantasic steel factory. The car park is divided into about 3 sections-it is huge!

The entrance is through a set of glass doors and the ticket booth is clearly signposted. The admission prices are around about '£ 9 for an adult-may sound a lot but in fact its quite cheap! Season tickets are avilable-i used to have one and used it about 4 times a year-it was good value!

The entrance is through an 'old' grey block. You go into a dark rrom-it used to have a mummy in it but it seems to have gone. The next room is very large with a fantastic set of metal stairs going up past the huge Tv screens with videos on what working here was like.

Going up you are taken the walkway overlooking the catherdal like building still full of original machinery while now there are touch screens telling you information.

There ae four main areas based on the four main elements.

On The walkway level is the fire exhibit. Near it takes place the amazing 'Big Melt' a show in which a commentray on hwo steel was made in front of original machinery-contains lots fo sparks. There is also a baloon which can go up to the ceiling-if you press the button!

In fire you are greeted in a room where a lot of large screens show lightning. Inside fire you can find out about steel making, tempertaure in interactive exhibits including a game about magnets as well as this there is a lovingly created blacksmiths with live demonstrations. The main exhibit is the utterly amazing fire tornado-it is well and trult wonderful!

Upsatirs you will find the huge balloon which houses the 'Air' exhibit. outside is a machinbe where you can make mist. inside Air you can blow wind over corn fields, see why suspension bridges rock, see a tornado, play music with air , make noises and even play air hockey! Great fun!

On the ground floor is water my personal favourite exhibit. There are two areas one more seroius-one just aload of fun! Entering through a large room with lots of water to run your hands through you go int the first area. Home to a measurement of how much water you use, a quiz with a weeing statue and an experiment on hot and cold water -oh and a handrail of ICE! The second area is where you can make waves, discover how weirs work, see a whirlpool, play with toy boats and make music with water as well as taking a shower and having fun with water pistols-I can gurantee you will get wet-when I went for my birthday we even had a competition on who got wettest!

Underground is earth. This is slightly more child themed -but still great fun. First you can climb through tunnels , go in a giant hamster wheel and push mine carts before blowing up quarries ( pushing a detonator which then makes an explosion on Tv). Plastic rocks come out and kids can ,move these in wheelbarrows . You can also do interactive quizzes and do the infamous diggers-they never work!

There are some other attractions including the absolutely awful robot show-don't watch it.

Other attractions include a huge and very interstingly stocked shop with a fascinating variety of goods. There a few cafes, a main one which Iv'e never used a small snack bar and one by the playground which sells ice cream the playground is great-lots of very strange equipemnt -some of which is actually scientific -lots of fun!

Overall Magna is great fun-and you actually learn something while having fun!