Havering’s own Olympic rowing medallist Mark Hunter MBE returned to his old college to inspire the borough’s next generation of athletes.

Mark, who won a silver medal at London 2012 to add to his 2008 gold from Beijing, visited Havering Sixth Form College in Hornchurch to open a new sports pitch.

As he cut the ribbon to unveil the new all-weather surface, Mark told pupils how the college had changed since his days as an A-level student there in the mid-1990s.

He said: “It’s very different now from when I studied here – there are far more subjects and better facilities.

“And with the building plans for the new sport, travel and tourism block, there are improvements being made all the time. It’s a great place to be a student.”

Principal Paul Wakeling said: “Mark is an inspiration and it was fantastic that our students had the chance to meet him and talk to him.”