Johnny Depp joins primary school's pirate mutiny

Nine-year-old Beatrice Delap did just that by writing to Captain Jack Sparrow, star of the Pirates of the Caribbean films. "We are a bunch of budding young pirates. Normally we're a right handful but we're having trouble mutinying against the teachers. We'd love it if you could come and help," she wrote.

To the astonishment of staff at Meridian primary school in Greenwich, south-east London, Captain Jack arrived in the form of Johnny Depp, the actor who plays him. Depp is filming the latest Pirates of the Caribbean instalment at the nearby Old Royal Naval College.

Beatrice said: "I had the idea to write the letter last week after me and a friend went to see the film set. Yesterday the school called us in for a special assembly at the end of the day.

"Then Johnny Depp walked in dressed as Captain Jack. There were gasps and screams. He pulled the letter out of his pocket and said he was going to frame it. Then he called me down and gave me a hug.

"He said the pirates were going to take over the school and only eat candy and our teeth would turn black and fall out. But he said we shouldn't mutiny against the teachers because there were some police outside and we might get into trouble. It was the most exciting school day ever."