POP IDOL favourite Hayley Bamford presented her own version of the hit show with pupils at her old school.

The 22-year-old blonde starlet, from White Cross Road, York, sang to youngsters at Park Grove Primary School in the city before judging a talent competition.

Hayley narrowly missed out on winning through to the final 12 on this year's TV show, which reaches its climax on Saturday when the winner will be chosen.

Head teacher Andrew Calverley, who taught Hayley when she was a pupil, said: "It was great fun, and just what we needed on the last week of term.

"She chatted to the two older classes about what it was like to be on Pop Idol and even what she wanted for Christmas. She was smashing."

Updated: 11:00 Thursday, December 18, 2003