BROADCASTER Ian Hislop surprised a teacher with a Silver Pearson Teaching Award during assembly.

John Andrews, health and social care teacher at Featherstone High in Montague Way, Southall, was awarded today (May 16), with no idea that he had won the prize.

Pupils had nominated the teacher, who is a St John Ambulance volunteer, in the secondary school category for London and the south east of England.

Mr Andrews, who has been teaching for seven years, said: “One of the members of staff told me that a child had collapsed, but when I could not see anybody I thought something was suspicious.

“I needed to treat myself for shock.

“I just enjoy being a teacher I do not feel as if I really deserve this.

“Meeting my former students in a health care environment is where I get my enjoyment from.”

Mr Andrews said the first five minutes after finding out he had won are a blur.

Mr Hislop, best known for his role as a team captain on BBC quiz show Have I Got News For You, said: “It’s Thank a Teacher Day and I owe most of my career to one teacher who was a huge inspiration to me at school.

“The pupils are incredibly keen on John.

“I go to a lot of award ceremonies for things that are a lot less important than teaching.

“People are keen to blame when things go wrong so it’s great to acknowledge that it does go right.”