The most successful Paralympian of all time has visited a district school to present an award in memory of a tragic former pupil.

Staff and students got the chance to meet sporting superstar Dame Tanni Grey Thompson who was the guest of honour at St Mary's School in Menston, yesterday.

The 35-year-old 16-time Paralympic medal winner visited the school to meet members of its disabled sports club and to present an award in honour of a 12-year-old St Mary's pupil who died in a tragic accident at his home in 1993.

Jamie Payne Ross was a keen footballer, rugby player and athlete and for the past ten years an award in his name is presented to a St Mary's pupil for outstanding sporting achievement.

His mother Colleen and elder brother Adam from Morley, attend the ceremony every year.

Mrs Payne Ross said: "We have always had a good connection with the school and it has been part of our lives.

"But over the last few years this day has become like a pilgrimage for us. The award has been running for 10 years and Jamie would be absolutely amazed to know this has happened in his name.

"To meet Dame Tanni Grey Thompson has been wonderful, I think she is such a true spirit.

''I think what she has done for disabled people is wonderful but also for able bodied people as well."

Dame Tanni said she was proud to have been asked to present the award in Jamie's honour. She said: "It has been lovely, giving the award in Jamie's name was very emotional, his family are fantastic and feel that they want to give something back to the school."

This year the award was won by Aiden White, 13, of Menston, who plays both football and rugby and is a member of the Leeds United academy.

He said: "I am extremely pleased to have received this award from Tanni, I play football, rugby and athletics, but football is my favourite and I would like to become a professional footballer."

Dame Tanni also presented the school with a prestigious sports gold mark award in recognition of St Mary's commitment to physical education.

And then she went on to meet members of the schools disabled sports club.

The club was started four years ago and now has 16 members with a range of physical disabilities and learning difficulties who meet once a week to play sports.

It is run outside school hours with coaches paid for by cash which the school was awarded when it became a specialist sports college.

The children take part in regular sports such as basketball along with specialist disabled sports like table cricket and new age curling which has been adopted to be played by people with mobility problems.

Dame Tanni said: "The work the school does here is amazing.

''It is about giving children with disabilities the opportunities to get them fit and healthy and this needs to be done through schools.

"I first decided I was really interested in sport when I was 12 but all of the training I did was done outside of school but the Paralympics did not have the profile it does now."

"I think the Paralympics might encourage more disabled people to become interested in sport but it is difficult because there are so many different distractions available for young people now."

Dame Tanni is also involved in the campaign to bring the Olympic and Paralympic Games to London in 2012 and said she was confident the bid would be a success.

She said: "I think the Olympics would give us such a boost not just for people training for 2012 but for five, six and seven year-olds who will see our success on home soil and think 'that is what I want to do'."

Dame Tanni has competed in five Paralympic games, winning 16 medals, 11 of them gold.

She has also won the London Marathon four times in six years and has been awarded the OBE and MBE for her achievements.

St Mary's assistant headteacher David Geldart said: "Tanni has been aware of the work of the school and had no hesitation in accepting the offer. She is a wonderful role model for young people to aspire to.

"She is really inspirational and when she spoke in assembly the children were spellbound."