A FITNESS clothing company founded by a former Bromsgrove student recently welcomed pupils from his old school for a visit.

Former South Bromsgrove High School pupil Ben Francis launched Gymshark in 2012 when he was just 19.

From humble beginnings in the garage at the home of Ben's parents, the company has become one of the fastest growing in the UK.

It has recently moved to brand new headquarters in Solihull and a group of South Bromsgrove High GCSE and A-Level textiles students visited the premises.

The students had Ben as their personal tour guide for the afternoon and were blown away by the amazing facilities enjoyed by the employees, including a games areas, outdoor basketball, meeting pods and a massage and therapy centre.

Textiles teacher and visit leader Jenny Hawthorn said: "The students really enjoyed the experience and were able to see, first-hand, the entire design process and how the gym wear is created."

Mr James Siddle, deputy headteacher at South Bromsgrove, said: "Ben explained how important it is to think big and take risks to make a successful business.

"It was great to see Ben doing so well and I couldn't believe how many former students were working for Gymshark!

"The school is extremely proud of Ben's achievements and we were very grateful that he was able to make time for us."