A TUTOR from Blackburn was named Britain's best Design Technology Teacher at an award ceremony in London.

Stephen Fleming, head of the department at Our Lady and St. John RC High School, collected his award from the inventor of the bagless vacuum, James Dyson, at the Institute of Electrical Engineers in London.

The Dyson Design and Technology Teacher of the Year award was set up last year to encourage the work being done in Britain's schools.

The Design and Technology Association co-ordinated the event after travelling around the country assessing the subject's teachers. It was their chief executive, Andy Breckin, who nominated Mr Fleming after a visit to the school.

Mr Fleming, 42, said: "He came last year and just dropped in unannouced to watch me teach year eight electronics. The school was quite surprised when we heard about the award - it came out of the blue, none of us expected it.

"But we are one of the highest performing for our subject and have a reputation across the country for electronics. Now I want to keep pushing on forwards and improving. " Mr Fleming has not only taught at Our Lady for 22 years - 14 as head of department - but he was a pupil of the school as well. He is a senior examiner for electronics and is an accredited trainer for the computer aided design (CAD) package pro/desktop.

Two years ago Prime Minister Tony Blair watched him give a CAD lesson, and at the award ceremony rubbed shoulders with more famous names.

"Part of my prize was a signed vacuum, but I forgot to get James Dyson to sign it. But he presented me with a signed limited edition book. He was keen to know about the pupils and the school, especially the electronics.

"Mike Tomlinson, Head of Ofsted was also there. He said well done and that we should be proud of our pupils. I was also chatting with Trevor Bayliss, who designed the clockwork radio, he was really down to earth."

Mr Dyson said: "We should be doing more to encourage our creative and talented young people into industry and manufacturing. Our education system is vitally important in helping to achieve this. I hope this award goes some way towards highlighting the good and important work being done by teachers of design and technology across Britain."