CHILDREN got up close and personal with creepy crawlies when a 'bug man' visited their classroom.

Youngsters at Thamesmead School in Manygate Lane, Shepperton had mixed reactions when they learned that an entomologist would be coming to see them.

However when Gordon Farr, one of the country's leading bug specialists, visited on Monday (Nov 12) to show them his weird and wonderful invertebrates, they were transfixed.

Assistant head Ben Bartlett said: "The visit was a great success and we were delighted that the children got the opportunity to view and handle a wide range of creatures, from a giant millipede to the dreaded tarantula!"