A budding tennis star at Andy Murray’s former school hopes the Wimbledon champion will return as a PE teacher after he retires.

Dunblane Primary School pupil Gregor Wood said he was shocked to hear today of Murray’s plans to leave the game this year due to injury, but the youngster already has high hopes for what the tennis star might do next.

“He should be a PE teacher here,” Primary 7 pupil Gregor said. “I think he would be quite a good one.”

“I was shocked that he was retiring because he’s just played so well and I kind of wanted him to keep going, but because of his hip I guess it’s probably time for him to stop.”

Gregor met the two-time Wimbledon champion when he returned to his old school for a visit, and he said he was “quite laid back” and told the pupils he hoped some of them would follow in his footsteps.

Gregor hopes to be able to do so as his tennis is “quite good”, and he credited Murray’s determination as one of his most inspirational qualities.

He said: “He’s not given up because of his hip and he’s had that pain for about a year now. He’s not given up and he’s kept on playing.”

Fellow Primary 7 pupil Katie Cullen also met the tennis star when he returned to the school, and she said he was “funny” and “very inspirational”.

She added: “I was quite sad and shocked that he was retiring but still happy that he’s going to be able to rest his hip and not have to worry about competitions.

“He’s an inspiration, he always inspires us to do sport and to be the best you can be.”

Headteacher Lorraine Slabbert said she is “hugely sad” that Murray plans to retire this year as he has been a “huge inspiration”.

She added: “However, with everything we do in Dunblane we talk about a positive spin on that, and actually my thought immediately was “what’s next for him and what more impact can he have?”

“He’s already had a huge impact in the school but actually he’s got a job to do next, and I’m quite sure he will, in inspiring the children in Scotland and wider.”

She said his visits to the school near Stirling had shown pupils how to live active lives and taught them they can “do anything they want to do”.

She added: “Some of the children have already said when he has time on his hands they would love to see him here helping them out.”

A golden post box stands in Dunblane’s High Street in recognition of his Olympic win in 2012, and the court at the local sports club is rarely without young Wimbledon hopefuls hitting some balls, inspired by the 2013 and 2016 champion.

Local resident Bill Drummond, 71, said: “He’s been great for Dunblane. Dunblane was remembered for all the wrong reasons - we used to go on holiday and we’d try and avoid saying where we were from. But latterly it was hailed as Andy Murray territory, so it’s been amazing for the town.”

Stirling Council leader Scott Farmer met Murray when he was given the freedom of the city in 2014, and said he was “very nice” and “unassuming”.

Mr Farmer said he is sad about a “premature end to a spectacular and outstanding career”.

He added: “Andy’s been a sensational ambassador for Stirling.”