Olympic fever has swept through an Alton school as a double gold medallist has given students a swimming lesson they’ll never forget.

Rebecca Adlington led the session at Alton Sports Centre as a reward for an Anstey Junior School triumph in a national competition.

Leisure operator Everyone Active asked pupils around the UK to draw their own swimming hat design with an onus on “what you love must about getting into the pool”.

The school was buoyed to hear 10-year-old pupil Sophia Allen defeated hundreds of entrants to claim gold.

Her “inspirational” design of a swimmer surrounded by empowering words like “confident and brave”, contrasting with words like “worried and nervous” above the surface, stood out.

Guest judge Adlington told Sophia her design “just had to be a winner” while making a surprise appearance at afternoon assembly. She also emphasised the importance of learning to swim ahead of a session at the leisure centre.