IT'S not every day you have a surprise meeting with a world leader, so children from a Hampshire school made the most of their once-in-a-lifetime chance.

Thirty pupils from St Anthony's Primary School in Titchfield Common near Fareham found themselves chatting face-to-face with Tony Blair during a sightseeing tour of London.

The ten and 11-year-olds were on their way to the House of Commons when their teachers persuaded a policeman to let them through the gates of Downing Street.

Standing opposite Number Ten, the group were amazed to see a dark green Jaguar suddenly draw up and the Prime Minister step out and walk towards them.

Ashley May, ten, said he would remember the moment forever. He added: "I felt like I was going to faint. I couldn't calm down."

Mr Blair, returning for a cabinet meeting after his high-profile European forum with Michael Heseltine and Kenneth Clark, was happy to spend several minutes with the pupils.

Jennifer Stevens, ten, said: "He came over to us and asked where we were from. He talked to us for a bit and shook our hands. Then he invited us over outside Number Ten and we got our photographs taken with him. I was very excited."

Moments after their conversation, more cars arrived and the pupils were joined by secretaries of state Jack Straw and David Blunkett. It was the high point of a three-day trip to the capital, which involved a number of trips from the pupils' base at a youth hostel in Rotherhithe.

Headteacher Mike Cooper said: "They were all exceedingly nice people and very good with the children. It was a great thrill and everyone was delighted. You don't normally expect to meet the PM. He was full of questions about our visit."

Despite their brief encounter at the heart of government, none of the pupils said they wanted to become politicians.

Charlotte Bateman, ten, said: "It was nice to meet Mr Blair but I was a little bit nervous when I shook his hand. When I told my family they were stunned and jealous."

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