Stephen Tompkinson – of Wild At Heart and Drop The Dead Donkey fame – popped into the Talbot Road school for a trip down memory lane.

The actor was back on home soil while he stars in Tim Firth's Sign of the Times at Blackpool's Grand Theatre – but made time to speak to pupils about his career.

Stephen shared some of his memories about his time at the school.

He also told pupils about his time filming Wild At Heart in Africa.

The actor said: "It's really nice to come back to St Bede's and talk to the kids.

"I developed my love of acting here at the school appearing in different productions.

"I first appeared as the inn- keeper in a version of the nativity, later I was a butterfly in The Plotter of Cabbage Patch Corner and then Dracula in Dracula Spectacular.

"I have really happy memories of St Bede's and want the kids to know if I can make a career out of acting, there's no reason why it can't work for them."

Stephen, who was quizzed by pupils, told them how he had found a snake coiled round a light fitting in a toilet and was bitten by a lion cub while filming Wild At Heart.

Drama student Alisha Johnson, 15, was delighted to see the star. She said: "It is amazing to see such a well-known actor in our school, it doesn't seem real.

"It was really good to meet him and it is encouraging to think he was a pupil here and has gone on to be so famous.

"It makes you feel like it is possible it could happen to any of us."

It wasn't just existing pupils who were pleased to see the star, former students also went back to school to meet him.

Nicole Messham, 19, said: "I am trying to get into drama school so I wondered if he could give me any advice for the future.

"He was really nice and encouraged me to follow my dreams."