Staff and pupils at a Brondesbury Park primary school are shouting a huge good luck to former student Tom Dean as the Olympics begin in Japan.

The Olympic freestyle swimmer was a pupil at Malorees Infant and Junior School in Christchurch Avenue.

Brent & Kilburn Times: Tom Dean during the kitting out session for the Tokyo Olympics 2020 at the Birmingham NEC, UK. Picture date: Wednesday June 16, 2021.Tom Dean during the kitting out session for the Tokyo Olympics 2020 at the Birmingham NEC, UK. Picture date: Wednesday June 16, 2021. (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

In a video, children wish the 21-year-old good luck and sing "it's coming home, swimming's coming home" as they take him on a tour of his old school and meet some staff he may know.

Pupils-at-Tom-Dean-s-primary-school-wish-him-good-luck-in-th

Tom represented Great Britain at the European Junior Championships and the European Championships.

He won three gold medals and two silver medals at the 2020 European Championships and one individual bronze in 200m freestyle.

He said: "What a lovely surprise to get these messages from the children and from some familiar faces.

"Malorees holds a special place in my heart and I'm looking forward to going back to the school when I get back from Tokyo."

Executive head Sian Davies, who is retiring after 25 years at the school, said she definitely remembered Tom's family said how "incredibly proud" all the staff and pupils were.

"We've been talking about you a lot at Malorees, you've been incredible inspiration to children and adults alike and your legacy at Malorees really does live on," she said in the video.

"I am incredibly proud of you, it's been a real privilege to know you and your lovely family, rooting for you Tom, wishing you lots of love, lots of luck and all our best wishes for Tokyo. Go Tom go!"

One teacher said she hoped it goes "swimmingly" for him while another told him to "swim like a dolphin".

PE teacher Mike Cleary, who organised the Brent Primary Swimming Gala in 2019, said: "Although I can't claim any hand in your success what I'll certainly be doing with the next generation of Maloree children is using you as a true inspiration to show them that anybody who sits in the hall that you sat in or the classrooms you sat in can make their dreams come true if they work hard enough."

Wishing him the "best of luck" Mr Cleary added: "If you can we would love for you to come back to Malorees to join us perhaps with a medal around your neck to show off."