Arsenal hero Bukayo Saka stunned pupils as he returned to his primary school in a surprise visit to celebrate the power of positive role models for young people.

The return of the England ace, 24, came as new YouGov research, commissioned by Chase, reveals the vital role of sporting role models in young people’s lives: with a staggering four in five (79%) children who look up to someone in sport admiring a famous player or athlete, while one in four (25%) are inspired by their coach or PE teacher.

The findings also show that eight in 10 (84%) youngsters see sport as a gateway to essential life skills like resilience, teamwork, and communication. During his visit, Gunners talisman Saka reunited with his former headteacher Caroline Chamberlain and PE coach Leigh Curtin, both of whom played pivotal roles in his early development.

The Arsenal winger spoke with pupils about the teachers, mentors and coaches who guided his journey both on and off the pitch.

Children also had the chance to quiz him in a...