Andrew Marchant got the surprise of his life when he found his car had been wrapped up to celebrate his fiftieth birthday.

The former Brighton and Hove Albion right back, who is now director of sport at Dorothy Stringer School found his Peugeot draped in wrapping paper and a couple of dozen balloons saying 'Happy Fiftieth Birthday'.

He was so embarrassed he decided to walk after attracting the attention of rush-hour motorists in Ditchling Road, Brighton.

As drivers slowed to see what was going on, Mr Marchant decided to do a runner.

He said: "Everybody was going past pointing at it. I just ran.

"Because I was going to school I walked down here this morning and it was covered in that and I thought 'oh no'."

But any hopes he had of keeping the birthday surprise under wraps were dashed - one of the people who drove past his car yesterday morning was Dorothy Stringer's headteacher Trevor Allen.

Mr Marchant said: "The head drove past and he said 'I have just seen your car covered in wrapping paper, I though it was hilarious'."

The prime suspect was Clair Overy, a former Dorothy Stringer pupil Mr Marchant used to teach who now works at the school.

News that his car had been wrapped up was quickly the talk of the school and Ms Overy was quick to put her hand up and admit responsibility.

She was out at 6am to wrap and decorate the car. It took half-an-hour but she was not too worried if Mr Marchant arrived early.

She said: "It seemed like a good idea when I got up. I just thought to mark his fiftieth birthday needed something a bit special, I knew I could outrun him anyway."

Unfortunately for her, she celebrates her own Twenty-Fifth birthday on Sunday and Mr Marchant is already plotting to get his own back, even if he does not say what it will be.

He said: "It was very nice, it is classic Clair, it is the sort of thing she would do. I will get revenge, absolutely, no question."