A Clarets mad headteacher has formed his own mini Burnley supporters club...almost 200 miles away in Milton Keynes.

Lifelong fan Jim Hudson has spent years converting pupils at his Buckinghamshire school Two Mile Ash and now claims that Burnley is the best backed football team in the playground.

The school has formed such close ties with Burnley over the years that the school's football teams are now sponsored by the football club following a request from the headmaster.

Burnley barmy pupils are now so keen on their adopted team that around 100 donned their Clarets scarfs to cheer on their heroes at the recent Wimbledon v Burnley match at the Milton Keynes Bowl.

The Buckinghamshire-based fans join Burnley supporters' groups and fans from across the world.

Clarets boast fan bases in Australia, Bahrain, Vietnam, Sweden, Canada and Zimbabwe and many other countries as well as from across the British Isles.

Jim, who grew up in Blackpool before moving to the Isle of Man, said: "I've been a keen Burnley supporter for about 40 years now and I've always found everyone connected with the club absolutely fantastic.

"When I lived on the Isle of Man the players used to come over to spend the summers there and they were always wonderful with me.

"When I came back to the mainland to do teacher training in Lancaster I would get down to Turf Moor as often as I could and the connection has carried on ever since.

"We started off by organising a few school trips to watch Burnley and the links have gradually grown.

"The coaches from the club now visit the school about four or five times every year to hold football courses and we even have pupils going over to Germany each year as part of Burnley's Football U13 School of Excellence trip.

"The coaching staff have always been fantastic with the children and it just shows in the way so many of them now have a lasting affection for the Clarets.

"Whenever we have a non-uniform day at the school there are more Burnley shirts in the playground than any other team which is great to see. It's like we have our own little Burnley supporter's club within the school."

Nick Harrison, of Burnley FC's leisure and community team, said: "The connection between the club and the school in Milton Keynes is something that has grown and grown over the past few years and it is great to see.

"Schemes like this help only help to further links between schools and the club and widens our fan base too."