PUPILS at a Didcot school were given a welcome surprise when comic David Walliams answered a Twitter plea from teachers to drop by.

The Little Britain star, above, had been filming a TV adaptation of an Agatha Christie drama at Didcot Parkway railway station on Thursday.

Willowcroft Community School assistant headteacher Amanda Doy and teaching assistant Trish Bird sent him a message asking him if he could visit.

The message from Ms Doy’s account said: “Willowcroft School in Didcot would love you to come and visit us while you are in the area pleeeease, pleeeease, pleeease.”

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His agent called the Mereland Road school just before lunchtime to say Walliams would arrive in 10 minutes, and teachers assembled children in the courtyard to welcome him.

Walliams answered questions about his book Gangster Granny and read a chapter using funny voices. He spent half an hour at the school and donated copies of his eight children’s books to the school library.

Ms Doy said the visit had helped to get children reading. She added: “People were saying on Facebook that he was in Didcot. He was really lovely, down to earth and great with the children.”

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