FORMER England star Earl Barrett made a special visit to William Beamont High School, in Longford, to meet pupils and inspire and motivate them through sport.

Earl, a former Aston Villa footballer, called into the school as part of Living For Sport - a national initiative organised by the Youth Sport Trust and BSkyB.

Earl is a Changing Lives Athlete Mentor' for the initiative, which aims to inspire and motivate young people aged 11 to 16 through sport.

Living For Sport targets young people who are at risk of opting out of school life.

Schools involved receive a comprehensive package of support, including training for staff, resources for pupils, funding for activities and access to a prestigious awards programme.

The Changing Lives Athlete Mentor initiative uses world-class retiring athletes as role models for young people.

They visit Living For Sport schools across the country and use their skills and experiences to inspire pupils to achieve their own personal goals.

Sue Campbell, chairman of the Youth Sport Trust, said: "I would like to commend the students at William Beamont Community High School for their success in Living For Sport.

"Earl's visit to the school will give them further encouragement to get involved in sport and school life more widely."

For more information, visit sky.com/lfs or youthsporttrust .org