FORMER 400-metre world indoor champion Daniel Caines inspired Dyson Perrins Academy pupils with a visit to the Malvern school.

The athlete headed to the Yates Hay Road school as part of their Sky Sports Living for Sport project.

The free secondary schools initiative, delivered in partnership with the Youth Sport Trust, uses sport stars and skills to boost confidence, change behaviours, increase attainment and improve life skills.

Pupils involved in the project shared their activities, skills picked up on the way and accomplishments on and off the playing field with Caines when he visited.

The pupils have been busy planning a sports festival for local primary schools and want to utilise the communication and team-work skills which the 35-year-old from Solihull has helped them to improve.

Caines was handpicked by the Youth Sport Trust to become a mentor because of his unique personal journey, overcoming a range of challenges to achieve sporting success.

He shared his experiences with the group and used his story of triumph over adversity to support teachers at Dyson Perrins to motivate the pupils to be the best they can be.

Babs Hynes, the head of physiological sciences at the school, said: “Daniel’s visit was an inspiring reward for our pupils, who have shown great commitment and dedication to their Sky Sports Living for Sport project.

"The students loved hearing Daniel’s story and sharing their experiences of their project with him.

“Most importantly, our young people have learned first-hand that sport can teach them so much.

"Whether it is the social skills needed to be a team player or the focus and determination required to do a job well, Sky Sports Living for Sport is helping them to learn important life lessons.”

Caines said: “I came away from Dyson Perrins feeling incredibly inspired by the commitment of the young people I met.

"Hearing how the pupils are putting their new skills and lessons they have learned into practice is a fantastic example of how sport has the power to change lives.”

Secondary schools can learn more about the project at skysports.com/livingforsport.

For pictures from Caines' visit, see this week's Malvern Gazette.