ATHLETICS champion Perri Shakes-Drayton inspired the next generation of sports reporters when she visited the region.

The 400m hurdles British number one met students at Whickham School, in Gateshead, for a question and answer session ahead of this summer’s European Athletics Team Championships.

The students will produce the official newspaper for the event, which will be read by competing athletes in Gateshead on June 22 and 23.

Aaron Day, after-school learning co-ordinator, said: “We had a fantastic day with Perri.

“The school is going to be involved in producing a newspaper to be given out to the athletes in the VIP area at the championships in the summer, so the visit was a part of that.

“Over the last couple of days, a group of students have been doing a project about news reporting and so they were able to use those skills to put questions to Perri.

“They found out some really interesting things about her, like the fact that she has a degree in sports science.

“They also asked what she is inspired by, what it was like where she grew up and what it’s like being a top athlete.

“Perri was very interested in the questions asked by the students, especially the ones she doesn’t normally get asked.

“One of the things our students said was Perri was very charming and easy to talk to.”

A group of 20 pupils, aged from 11 to 13, and 10 of the school’s sports ambassadors met Perri as part of the newspaper project.

Vivienne Howell, Whickham School librarian, who helped organise the visit, said: “Perri was a really fabulous role model and a really good ambassador for the sport.”

Perri, 24, collected two medals at the European Indoor Championships in Gothenburg earlier this month.

The hurdles specialist won gold over 400 metres in Sweden, setting the fastest time in the world this year in the process, and was also part of the 4x400m relay team that took gold seven hours later.

The Londoner hopes to compete in Gateshead this summer.

She said: “The European Athletics Team Championships is a great competition and one I want to compete at again.

“I’m not a stranger to the Gateshead track. I ran at the English Schools here a few years ago and I would love to come back again.”