England test cricket captain Alastair Cook dropped in to see pupils at St Peter’s School in Lympstone.

The students had a good innings with Alastair, who spent half a day at the school.

A relative of a teacher at the school, the cricketer gave the kids coaching tips, and answered questions.

Both boys and girls, aged from eight to 13, had the chance to learn from – and to bowl at - the man who batted for a record 35 hours in the 2010/11 Ashes series.

He revealed that fellow Essex player Graham Gooch would have been his dream opening partner.

Headteacher Noel Neeson said: “Considering that he came on the day when we were losing a one-day match in Australia, you could say that England’s loss was our gain.

“We have a proud reputation as a cricketing school, and this special visit will have done an enormous amount to boost even further our interest in the summer game.

“It was a revelation and a privilege to meet a man who is so refreshingly honest, so modest and such a consummate professional.”