A HOME-grown world and Olympic champion visited Lytchett Minster School this morning to open a temporary replacement for the creative arts block that was wrecked by fire at the end of last year.

Dorset born and bred shooter Peter Wilson MBE was last in the building when it housed a huge dining room in the athletes’ village at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

And he reminded pupils that such stars as Usain Bolt and Mo Farah would have been using it just eight months ago.

“There have been so many emotionally charged moments in this building. I hope it inspires just a few of you.”

Teachers had feared that the devastating blaze that followed a massive lightning strike on the morning of December 27, would cause huge disruption to hundreds of students who are due to sit important exams this summer.

But an emergency response team from temporary structure specialist De Boer designed a fully operational facility and built it in just 45 days, completing it in time for those crucial A levels and GCSEs.

Peter, 26, from Glanvilles Wootton in North Dorset, studied graphic design at Bournemouth’s Arts University College, but admitted: “I was kicked out after a year. I spent too much time training and not enough studying.”

The son of a farmer, he specialises in double trap, in which competitors use a shotgun to fire at two clay discs released at the same time.

He became the 2006 European junior champion within four weeks of taking up the sport, and is the current world record holder after scoring 198 out of a possible 200 in Tucson, Arizona, last year.

The 6ft 6ins tall former Millfield pupil brought his Olympic gold medal to show the Lytchett Minster youngsters. He told them: “Because I was really dyslexic, I was the last to be picked for every sport.

“I only took up shooting after I dislocated my shoulder snowboarding. I absolutely loved it and decided to stick with it. I just wanted to be good at something.”

The new £3.5 million structure, which includes a 500-seater theatre, is likely to remain in place for about two years while the creative arts block is rebuilt.

Pupil Bliss Molver, 13, of Hamworthy, said: “I just think it’s brilliant. Although it takes up some of the sports field, it’s better than going into some Portakabins.”

And Connor McLeod, 13, of Lytchett Matravers, said: “I think it’s pretty much the most fantastic temporary building I’ve ever seen.”