CHILDREN from Forres Sandle Manor School, Fordingbridge were “deeply inspired” to meet Patti Lomax, at the opening of a display dedicated to her husband Eric at the Royal Signals Museum in Blandford.

Mr Lomax, who was captured by the Japanese in 1942 after the surrender of Singapore, has had his life dramatised in the critically acclaimed film The Railway Man, starring Colin Firth as Eric and Nicole Kidman as Patti.

Mrs Lomax spent some time talking to the children and showed them the Australian-made poppy she carried on her handbag as a way of remembering her husband.

Headteacher Mark Hartley said: “While learning within the classroom is important, the children benefit enormously by taking their learning outside of the school environment as well.

“To have the opportunity to meet the people behind the story is a huge privilege and this will only go to inspire the children to find out more about Eric's story.”