THREE Herm children were delighted last week to meet their football hero Matt Le Tissier. The three brothers – Will, 12, Charlie, 10 and Elliot Knight, 7 – are all big fans of Southampton football team and especially of former star player Matt.

Will, 12, Charlie, 10 and Elliot Knight, 7 met their hero Matt Le Tissier in Guernsey where he was promoting his new autobiography. (0837953)

So the Knight boys were over the moon to find out that Matt would be in Guernsey to promote his new autobiography.

Seven-year-old Elliot especially wanted to meet the former England player.

‘I like him because he’s just like me,’ said Elliot. ‘He was born in Guernsey and I was born in Guernsey. He played for Southampton and I want to play for Southampton one day.’

The boys had time for a photo opportunity with Matt and were filmed for local television.

They had all taken along their Southampton shirts in the hopes of having them autographed. Southampton FC has a large group of supporters in Herm, and their kits are often worn for PE lessons. No doubt the Knight boys will be wearing theirs as much as possible now they have been signed by their hero.

Herm pupils also met children’s writer Michael Morpurgo when he visited Vauvert School.

The writer had wanted to visit Herm School, but teacher Mary Carey arranged for him to go to Vauvert where more children could have the benefit of meeting him.

The former Children’s Laureate has written more than 100 books, many of them bestsellers, and some of which have become successful stage shows.

He lives in Devon, where he was a neighbour and friend of former Poet Laureate Ted Hughes.

Mr Morpurgo was in the Channel Islands to launch his new book, Running Wild, at the Jersey Opera House, and decided to make a stop in the Bailiwick.