A former Paralympian and patron of a Snaresbrook school will be a BBC pundit during the Paralympic Games.

Noel Thatcher MBE is a partially-sighted athlete who represented Great Britain in six Games from New York in 1984 to Athens in 2004.

He has 10 Paralympic medals, including five golds, 47 international gold medals and has set an estimated 20 world records.

Mr Thatcher, who is a patron of the Forest School, said: “I’m busy reading up on the world’s Paralympians so I have all the facts at my fingertips.

“It’s going to be an interesting nine days for me because friends are visiting from all over the world.

“I’ve got tickets for the Games and for the opening ceremony. It will be the first time I’ve seen it from the stands instead of the track.”

Mr Thatcher was the flag bearer for Team GB at the Athens Paralympics in recognition of his achievements.

He now works as a physiotherapist at the Holly House Hospital in Buckhurst Hill.

His first appearance will be on Saturday on BBC One’s Breakfast show.