World famous opera singer Ian Storey swapped centre stage at some of Europe's finest theatres to take a starring role at his old school.

The international tenor returned to his native North-East to attend an awards ceremony at Ferryhill Business and Enterprise College.

He flew into Newcastle airport from Italy, especially for the occasion, after finishing performing in the opera Turandot in Genoa.

He said: "It is a great honour to be invited back to your old school to do something like this.

"I have kept in touch with a number of the staff at the school over the years. I always found them very inspiring there. They weren't just teachers, they were very friendly as well.

"It is five years since I was last here and what they have achieved since then has been phenomenal.''

Mr Storey, 45, grew up in the small community of Chilton, where his mother Mary still lives, and attended the school for seven years when it went from being a grammar school to a comprehensive.

He addressed both youngsters and parents from the school with words of encouragement for the future.

He said: "I never stood on this stage and received an award in all the seven years I came here.

"I passed all of my subjects but I had to work really hard to get them. You have to try different things in life and never let self doubt get in the way of giving it a go.''

One of the achievements celebrated at Tuesday night's awards ceremony was the school's successful bid to become a Business and Enterprise College, the first in the North-East to do so.

Headteacher Steve Gater said that the awards ceremony was one of the highlights of the school's successful year.

Young people from the school received accolades for many achievements from GCSE to 'A' level from 100 per cent attendance to special awards like Young Entrepreneur of the year.

Mr Gater said: "We are celebrating the many successes of the students and the college over 2002/03.

"As well as achieving Business and Enterprise College status, we achieved record GCSE results, gained quality awards from the LEA, the Arkwright Trust and Schools Curriculum award and have had some very innovative projects.''