FOR the last four years pupils at the Twyford School have been finding painted pebbles.

Every day they would spend time looking for them around the school grounds – without knowing who had decorated them.

But in the last ever assembly of his 40-year teaching career, Dr Steve Bailey revealed himself to be the mystery painter.

He disclosed that he was responsible for every pebble of each term since September 2016, some 3,000 in total.

Rebecca Andreae of the school said: "Children have loved looking for them, finding them and some believed that if you found a pebble painted with an owl that it was worth three days of luck.

"The images ranged from funny faces to birds, animals, christmas trees, ladybirds, fish, landscape pictures and in more recent weeks, NHS logos.

"The identity of the painter of these pebbles remained a mystery and many theories developed amongst the children.

"It was obviously the matrons, no – the art department, or perhaps one of the gap students. Whoever it was, it gave enormous pleasure to the children and a certain edge to hide and seek at break times."

Dr Bailey was inspired by a pebble he found on a dog walk.

At the end of the summer term he retired after 10 years as headmaster at Twyford School, following 29 years teaching at Winchester College.

Ms Andreae added: "Twyford look forward to welcoming Andrew Harvey as our new headmaster; he arrives, with his family, over the summer holidays ready for the September term."