TV detective Martin Compston went beyond the Line of Duty to answer the questions of keen drama students from St Columba's High.

The Greenock born actor video called youngsters at his old school to take part in a 50-minute question and answer session.

The star is used to thwarting criminals as DS Steve Arnott in the hit BBC One crime drama Line of Duty, but was instead faced with around a dozen pupils armed with a series of questions.

Martin, currently starring in gripping BBC One drama, 'The Nest', offered to put his new-found free time to good use by chatting to the drama class at his old school while in lockdown at his home in Las Vegas.

He praised pupils afterwards saying: “I really enjoyed it. They had some cracking questions.

“I highly recommend to my fellow thespians, casting director and agent pals to reach out to their old high schools and get a chat with the drama students.

Provost of Inverclyde, Councillor Martin Brennan, said: “This is first class - an eminent actor contributing to the educational experience of pupils at his former Inverclyde school.”

The use of video chat is one of the many online tools being used to continue learning during the school's shutdown and acting depute head teacher, Collette McGeehan, is being credited for Martin’s guest appearance.

Mrs McGeehan said: “He got in touch with me just after the lockdown was announced and offered to do an online chat with drama students if they were interested.

“We were delighted to take him up on his offer and I liaised with Lynsey Currie, our drama teacher, who spoke to the pupils and organised their questions beforehand.

“He was very down to earth and offered lots of advice about how to get into acting.

“What an inspiration for our pupils to talk to such a successful actor and realise that he came from Greenock and went to the same school as they do.”

Councillor Jim Clocherty, Inverclyde Council’s convener of education, added: “While the coronavirus pandemic has caused so much disruption to all our lives, this is a shining example of how our young people and staff are turning a negative into a positive and embracing technology to continue learning outside the classroom.

“A huge thank-you to Martin for this unique opportunity for the pupils and well done to the staff at St Columba’s for pulling it together.”