POP star Asher Knight has shared his childhood experiences of bullying during a visit to a Cradley Heath school as part of a national tour.

Asher, who has just released his first single Hurricanes & Tornadoes, visited Ormiston Forge Academy where he also performed to more than 500 students.

The 21-year-old singer from Bradford wowed the youngsters with his own songs, as well as covers of Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande, but the students fell silent when he spoke to them about his own past experiences.

Asher said: “Bullying comes in many forms; physical, verbal and social media. Through music, I found the courage to overcome bullying.

“Now I want to share with others that they can also stand up to bullying by finding their own strength and resilience.”

The tour has played to nearly 10,000 students in schools across the country, with Asher accompanied by backing singers Christie Alana, Luena Martinez and James C-C – who are all pursuing their own musical dreams.

It was Asher's second trip to the school in the past 12 months after appearing alongside his mentor Cece Sammy in 2017. He said: “I was delighted to bring my anti-bullying tour to Ormiston Forge Academy on Valentine’s Day to share the love.

“This time we performed a full set including my first single, ‘Hurricanes and Tornadoes’. It’s safe to say we blew the roof off Cradley Heath and I know the students had as much fun as I did.”

Craig Cooling, senior vice principal, added: “Using music to deliver important messages has a huge impact on the students. It also gives them an experience of live music and an opportunity to see what can be achieved through hard work and dedication.

“The arts are a fundamental part of our culture and I firmly believe that music and the arts can actually sit alongside and complement subjects such as mathematics and science.

“We were delighted to welcome Asher back to Forge and thank him for making a difference.”