TV and film stars including Bond girl Naomie Harris returned to the legendary theatre school that kick-started their careers as its much-loved founder celebrated 45 years of teaching drama in Islington.

Drama teacher Anna Scher, 68, marked the milestone on Friday at her school based in St Silas Church in Penton Street, Islington, with pupils past and present.

They included Finsbury Park-born Ms Harris, who starred alongside Daniel Craig in the latest James Bond film Skyfall, actor and director Dexter Fletcher, and EastEnders stars Jake Wood, who plays Max Branning, and Tameka Empson, who plays Kim Fox.

She said: “It was a lovely evening despite the cold in the church! We held a drama workshop and then had a cabaret performance with poetry, dance and singing which was wonderful.

“I keep in touch with many of my old pupils but it was lovely to see them. The next big one will be 50 – I’ll still be teaching then.”

Ms Scher has trained dozens of thespians who have gone on to great success over the years, including Martin Kemp, Brooke Kinsella, Kathy Burke and many more, but she says she is just as proud of all her students who never went into acting.