Lord of the Rings and X-Men star Sir Ian McKellen visited a Deptford school to discuss equality.

Sir Ian McKellen visited Deptford Green school in New Cross to talk about bullying and discrimination.

Sir Ian gave an assembly to pupils from Year 7-10, as well as meeting student leaders and touring classes.

He talked about how difficult it was in the 1950s realising he was gay and praised the school for its stance on homophobic bullying.

He said: "I have never visited a school where I have felt so welcome.

"I sense in this school you respect people, it doesn't matter how they look or what is different about them.

"Deptford Green's got it about right in celebrating difference, treating everyone with the same respect and you're supported by the whole ethos of the school."

As a founder of equality charity Stonewall, Sir Ian visited Deptford Green due to their status as a Stonewall Champion.

Students were also given the chance to quiz Sir Ian, with questions ranging from the ownership of Gandalf's staff to telling his parents about his sexuality.

Sir Ian admitted he regretted not having the courage to tell his parents about his sexuality before they passed away, with his mother dying when he was 12 and his father when he was 25.

He also told students about the time he finally dare to tell his step mother when she was 80, whose reply was, "Thank goodness, I thought you were going to tell me something really serious. I've known you were gay for 35 years."

At the end of the talk, Sir Ian had one last piece of advice for students.

He said: "If you don't work hard at the end of the year and study for your exams, you know what will happen.

"You shall not pass!"