A thrilled teacher will be reading to his class on national television after winning a national story telling competition.

Des Hergarty, 39, of Wilbury Primary School in Wilbury Way, Edmonton, emerged triumphant and will now read Gillian Rogerson and Sarah McIntyre’s ‘You Can’t Scare a Princess’ on CITV’s Bookaboo show.

Despite fearing the worst, the talented story reader has drummed up a popular social media following and was chosen by presenter of the show Lucy Goodman.

He said: “I was refreshing my mailbox and then I saw an email saying Lucy Goodman has announced her winner and it was me. It was just amazing and the support I have received from staff and on social media sites has been something special.

“I really wanted to do it for the children and I had been keeping it quiet to make sure I didn’t get their expectations too high but it is going to be amazing, I am still taking it all in.”

More than a week had passed since voting concluded on Sunday, September 8, and the 39-year-old admits that he has not stopped thinking about it.

“I think about it every single second. I put my all into the competition and my wife Kerry and my daughter Matilda have kept me calm throughout, they have been fantastic.

“I told the presenter of the show Lucy that if there is any competition in the world that I wanted to win, it was this one. To be recognised for what I love doing is an honour and I can’t wait to film it now.”

Filming will take place in the coming weeks at the Edmonton school.

Here's Mr Hegarty's audition tape for the competition: