SAILING legend Sir Ben Ainslie was the special guest at a school assembly.

Delighted pupils at Ferndown First School welcomed the most successful Olympic sailor in history.

Sir Ben named its first-ever Andrew Simpson Sports Ambassadors, an initiative in memory of Dorset’s gold medal sailor Andrew, who was killed in a training accident in San Francisco Bay earlier this year.

The presentation took place during a special assembly about Aspiration.

Sir Ben and fellow sailor Iain Percy were close friends of Andrew.

Iain was one of the crew members who battled to save Andrew’s life as the tragedy unfolded as they trained for the America’s Cup.

He couldn’t make yesterday’s event but sent a message of support and plans a visit to Ferndown First himself.

The pair have since joined forces with Andrew’s widow, Leah, to set up a foundation in his name to support youth sailing.

Andrew was a friend of the school and of teacher Gary Smith – he had visited on a number of occasions before the terrible accident which claimed his life in May.

He first visited in 2008 to give youngsters a chance to see his Olympic gold medal, then helped during the school’s Little Gems Family Olympics before 2012.

He lived in Sherborne with his wife and two young children.

Every year a boy and girl at the Church Road school will be chosen as Sports Ambassadors to keep the memory of the America’s Cup star alive.

The first two, announced by Sir Ben are Harry Burton and Sydney Tabor, both in Year 4. All the pupils sang a specially arranged version of Hi Ho, Silver Lining and presented the Olympian with gifts.

Gary told the Echo: “The children thought the event was awesome. They were a little starstruck. The morning was a very fitting tribute to Andrew’s memory.”