BMX star Matti Hemmings came to Sydney Russell School in Dagenham as part of a competition they won as part of a school programme called Bike it, run by Sustrans (leading sustainable transport charity) to encourage pupils to take up cycling.

Believe it or not, they’re just three of the tricks on show when a record-breaking BMX champion rewarded a Dagenham school with an exclusive performance.

Matti Hemmings, the Welsh wizard of flatland freestyle, showed his moves to a crowd of 250 wide-eyed pupils at Sydney Russell, in Parsloes Avenue, on Monday.

The youngsters enjoyed the unique prize after winning a recent competition encouraging more pupils across the country to cycle to school.

The 26-year-old holds a Guinness World Record for the most cliffhanger spins with one foot on the handle bars in one minute.

He also holds the record for most Death Truck Spins, almost as dangerous as it sounds, in a minute – something he achieved live on Blue Peter.

Before launching his professional BMX career, Matti worked in a restaurant and as a labourer and spoke about the importance of seizing the day, saying: “Life’s a series of opportunities you’ve got to take.”

The visit came just days after the school’s Year 7 cyclists became the winners of a borough Bike-Polo contest.

Lesley Ellis, Healthy Schools teams member at the school, is delighted to see how popular cycling has become. “Matti was amazing, it was like watching ballet on a bike,” she said.

“The children were in awe, 250 of them all deadly silent. It was surreal.”

Source: Barking & Dagenham Post