Prime Minister Tony Blair delighted pupils and staff at a trailblazing Halesowen school when he paid it a flying visit.

Mr Blair chatted to pupils on a whistle-stop tour of Windsor High and hailed proposals to transform it into one of the country's first Trust schools.

Excitement grew to fever pitch at the Richmond Street school as youngsters eagerly awaited the PM's arrival on the playing field by Royal Navy helicopter, just days after he announced he will stand down.

The Labour leader was greeted by head girl and boy 16-year-olds Katy Piller and Jon Bissell, before he was led off to the Astroturf where he was given a hard time in a tennis knockaround by 13-year-old pupil Charlie Price and spoke to sports teacher Jenny Pritchard.

Head girl Katy Piller said: "I didn't think it was real - he seemed really impressed with the school. I will be able to go home and tell my mum I met the Prime Minister today."

Mr Blair looked at facilities installed as part of a £1.3 million Government-funded refurbishment at Windsor High, a specialist sports college.

The 2005 revamp included new classrooms complete with digital blackboards, new science labs, and classrooms kitted out with state of the art teacher training facilities.

The PM met headteacher Keith Sorrell, Dudley Council education chief John Freeman and Halesowen and Rowley Regis MP Sylvia Heal.

Mr Sorrell said: "I thought he was brilliant with the youngsters, very honest and open - they trusted him. He will leave behind a good legacy and I'm thrilled to bits he was able to come here today."

Mr Blair said he felt he had achieved a "massive amount" in education. He added: "Today we have seen facilities that ten years ago would have been exceptional and increasingly today are the norm.

"I believe we have a lot to be proud of today as a country."

About his imminent departure as PM he said: "Ten years is a long time to do a job like this but when I come and see these schools it gives me a thrill to have been part of such a big process of change."