THE TOWN’S MP was given a rare surprise when he was greeted at the school gates by the Queen of Hearts.

Dr Phillip Lee is no stranger to unusual situations, but he was in for a shock when he visited Fox Hill Primary School in March.

Due to the severe weather at the beginning of the month, Dr Lee’s planned visit to the school happened to coincide with the World Book Day celebrations.

The event saw pupils and staff dress up as their favourite characters from children’s literature, including fabulous portrayals of Mary Poppins and the entire cast of the Wizard of Oz.

Dr Lee entertained children and inspected the refurbished library, which has seen the number of books loaned each term soar from less than 100 to more than 1,000.

Dr Lee said: ““I was delighted and impressed to see the emphasis being put on reading at Fox Hill. In these days of electronic devices and games, I still believe that there is no more important way to stimulate a child’s imagination than letting them immerse themselves in their own world with a good book.

“Sarah Coxell and her team seem to be making a real impact at Fox Hill, and I wish them well for the inspections that I know are upcoming over the next few months.”

Mrs Coxell said she was delighted to give Dr Lee a tour of the revamped facilities.

She added: “We enjoyed welcoming Dr Lee to Fox Hill and having him share all the learning taking place on such a special day. The children loved hearing about Dr Lee’s favourite childhood book and appreciated him joining in with the theme of the day.”

A school spokesman also quipped: “Fortunately for the MP, at no point during the visit did the Queen of Hearts utter her most famous line - “OFF WITH THEIR HEADS.”