A HEADTEACHER has spoken of his sadness after helping a homeless man in the city on Boxing Day, who turned out to be a former pupil.

Christopher Whitehead Language College's headteacher Neil Morris is calling for more support for the homeless and vulnerable after the chance meeting.

Mr Morris has written about the sad reunion in his latest monthly blog, and told the Worcester News that: "It was an utterly deflating experience for all concerned."

Mr Morris has written about the former pupil and another man, protecting their identities by calling them 'Max and Darren'.

Writing in the January blog, Mr Morris said: "Our Boxing Day walk saw my family ‘stumble’ on Max and Darren (names changed), 30 some things, rough sleepers. Max had collapsed and we did not ‘step’ over him like many of the Christmas strollers but called the paramedics.

"Darren’s story of redundancy, relationship breakdown and dependency was depressingly familiar, made all the more so as he was an ex-student, class of 2003, whose optimistic SIMS profile picture did not prepare me for this reunion."

Mr Morris said they abandoned the walk, following the ambulance to Worcestershire Royal Hospital, which he described as a "war zone" with drunks and corridors full of elderly patients. Max was still waiting for treatment later in the day.

Mr Morris said: "Later that evening in the blizzard we attempted to meet with Darren as prearranged, new sleeping bag and coat on offer.

"His perhaps predictable non-appearance dampened festivities in the Morris household as we pondered what might be.

"Darren is 29, five years older than my eldest, his GCSEs are not a protector against the bleak midwinter.

"At the homeless day centre the next day, a weariness amongst the staff was perhaps understandable as they struggled to cope with a volatile, abusive elderly man who replicated the abusive language we had witnessed a harassed A&E nurse receive.

"Apparently, Darren is volatile, unpredictable and not to be approached; not the boy I knew or the man who I observed caring for his friend."

Mr Morris made a passionate plea for a more caring society in the blog.

He said: "We need to protect the Darrens of the future.

"As an educated, prosperous, caring nation we need to value all who work in the public sector.

"Stop differentiating between children. This starts with our obsession with results and school league tables - Darren's six A*- Cs were deemed successful but clearly did not protect him for his future life."

The full blog can be found at https://neilmorriscwlc.wordpress.com.