PUPILS at a Vale school received an inspirational talk from disabled athlete Scott Ballard-Ridley.

Blackminster Middle School welcomed the 26- year-old from Eckington last Monday.

The Paralympics 2016 hopeful told pupils how he overcame a brain haemorrhage when he was aged 22, which left him blind and in a wheelchair.

Students heard how Mr Ballard-Ridley fought to overcome his physical disability and is now competing in rowing competitions with hopes to make it to the 2016 Paralympics in Rio.

The visit was organised in recognition of Blackminster Middle School becoming part of the Get Set Network, London’s Official Schools Olympic and Paralympic Website.

Head girl Natalie Kyle said: “People can be quite lazy and then you see somebody like Scott and just the way he got on with stuff, he’s really inspirational.”