CHILDREN at a Forest school welcomed an actor best known for his roles in Dr Who to open their new classroom block.

Dan Starkey, who plays the Sontarans Strax in the hit TV show, brought along one of the masks which help transform him into the alien warriors to English Bicknor Primary School.

He was at the school to open a new block of three classrooms and other facilities which was installed by Gloucestershire County Council at a cost of £400,000.

Mr Starkey spoke to the children about his career and how he was inspired to become an actor when he appeared in a play when he was at school in Goodrich.

He also cut a celebration cake which was made by a Coleford bakery and was decorated with a picture of the new block.

Headteacher Mrs Hayley Alliston thanked the county council for the "brilliant" new facilities.

She also praised Bicknor Bears nursery, which moved out during the building works to allow all the school's pupils to stay on site, and English Bicknor Village Hall which rescheduled clubs to allow the nursery to use the hall.

Mrs Alliston said: "We've got just what we wanted – this was actually made for the school, they didn't just put anything here."

Rev Helen Rodwell said it was the first time in the school's 180-year history that it had a permanent building apart from the Victorian building.

She added: "We will be eternally grateful to the local authority for having the vision of what was possible and for putting their trust in us for the future."

Rev Rodwell also praised the headteacher for her 'steady hand' during the building works.