Black Country X Factor star Wagner surprised more than 100 youngsters when he visited a school to keep a promise he made to one of his biggest fans.

Youngsters at Cradley C of E Primary School, in Church Road, applauded with delight as the singing star walked into a special assembly yesterday.

Wagner was on hand to meet up with eight-year-old fan Joseph Timmins, a pupil at the school, who has battled leukaemia since he was three years old.

The brave youngster, who lives in Cradley, has undergone three years of intense chemotherapy at Birmingham Children’s Hospital and is now in remission.

Joseph first met his hero on the first night of the X Factor tour in Birmingham in January and Wagner promised him he would visit the school when he could.

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Black Country X Factor star Wagner surprised more than 100 youngsters when he visited a school to keep a promise he made to one of his biggest fans.

Youngsters at Cradley C of E Primary School, in Church Road, applauded with delight as the singing star walked into a special assembly yesterday.

Wagner was on hand to meet up with eight-year-old fan Joseph Timmins, a pupil at the school, who has battled leukaemia since he was three years old.

The brave youngster, who lives in Cradley, has undergone three years of intense chemotherapy at Birmingham Children’s Hospital and is now in remission.

Joseph first met his hero on the first night of the X Factor tour in Birmingham in January and Wagner promised him he would visit the school when he could.

And yesterday, he kept the promise before accompanying Joseph and his best friend Maggie-Mae Tibbetts, also eight, and their families for a special meal.

Wagner’s visit to the school was kept top secret by staff, and youngsters had no idea he was in the building until he entered the assembly. Children chatted with the star about his X Factor experience and he told them Simon Cowell was his favourite judge on the panel.

The children then sang Wagner a hymn, Shine Jesus Shine, which he applauded enthusiastically. “What a wonderful choir. You all have the X Factor,” he told them.

Joseph’s mother Amy Timmins said her son was “delighted” by the visit. “He is one of Wagner’s biggest fans,” she said. “When he was on the X Factor we voted for him every time.

“The phone bill was enormous but it was well worth it. It is wonderful of him to take time out of his schedule to do this.”

Youngsters from nearby Newfield, Caslon and Colley Lane primaries were also in attendance.