Stunned primary schoolchildren could not believe their eyes when David Beckham made a surprise appearance at morning assembly on Friday.
It was a reward for going above and beyond the call of duty in promoting Paralympic sport and ideals, both on and off the playground, as part of the Sainsbury's Million Kids Challenge.
Beckham, who has been working with 2012 Paralympic Games sponsor Sainsbury's, to encourage children to lead active and healthy lifestyles, dropped in on the three-to 11-year-olds at Vaughan Primary School, West Harrow, in north west London.
The LA Galaxy star and former England captain said he had been inspired to meet the youngsters, who made Paralympic sport part of their curriculum and joined forces with Aspire, the spinal injury charity.
Describing it as a "real privilege", Beckham said: "This has just been one of the most exciting things. There have been kids in this school and two million kids around the country trying out Paralympic sport. It is so amazing."
The children's wild and ecstatic reaction to Beckham's appearance was "so cute", he said.
"Children are so honest. It has been a long time since I was in a school, apart from my sons'.
"The first thing they were asking about was when I did blind football. It was amazing to hear that because they were naming the Paralympians."
Teachers and staff had been sworn to secrecy to keep the surprise.