Thousands at Newquay Airport for UK Space first

A ticket holder to the launch says Cornwall is "putting itself on the map"

Thousands of people are expected at Newquay Airport in Cornwall for the first orbital space launch from the UK.

A repurposed 747 jumbo jet is due to take off from the Spaceport at Newquay on Monday carrying a rocket to be released over the Atlantic.

The airport expects about 2,500 people to be watching from a viewing area across the runway from the Spaceport hangar.

Tania Purdie from St Austell said she felt "really lucky" to get a ticket.

Ms Purdie said she had always been interested in space and was hoping the event will be "a real experience".

Hayleigh Kitcher from St Austell will be at the airport with a ringside seat for the take off expected to take place shortly before 22:00 GMT.

She said it was "absolutely incredible" to see the 747, named Cosmic Girl, fly into Newquay in October.

Ms Kitcher has two airside tickets and said she wanted to be there because "it's something completely new to Cornwall".

She said: "We are only very tiny. We've had the G7 and now we have this. We're putting ourselves on the map."

"It's really cold but it's really exciting to be involved"

Sham Mulji, who runs Situ mobile coffee, based in Helston, is employed in the launch area to serve media and other on-site staff.

He will be serving hot drinks for about 16 hours on site and said big events like this really helped to support small businesses in Cornwall especially off-season.

He said there was a "really exciting buzz".

Mr Mulji said: "Now especially as it's close to the launch it's become really real and people are really excited about this amazing project that's happening right here in Newquay."

Teacher Neil Swanston lives near to the space launch airport

Teacher, Neil Swanston, lives in the village of St Mawgan, very close to Spaceport Cornwall.

He said: "I think it's hugely exciting to have a national, international event such as this on our doorsteps.

"We are only a couple of miles from the airport itself. We've been lucky enough to hear Cosmic Girl when she was doing her practise runs - we thought it was thunder when we heard it the first time because it was so so loud.

"It starts to hit home how important and prestigious an event it is here in Cornwall."

He said at school they "understand quite a bit" and they had "spent an awful lot of time explaining why it is so important and why it is happening here" and also "a lot of learning about space in school so they understand some context".

"I feel incredibly lucky to be able to witness it," he said.

"I will be looking out for it and for hearing the sound of the engines as they fire up later tonight."

"One of the lucky ones" because the flight path goes over his house

Cafe owner Alan Sanderson says the flight path goes directly over his house in St Mawgan.

He said: "I think there's a buzz about it. It's something you usually don't see, it's usually America where you get all this stuff, we don't get anything like this".

Follow BBC News South West on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail].