The class of schoolchildren listened to every word as young Tobias Weller read to them from his favourite book, Gangsta Granny. As well as reading to them, inspirational Tobias thought he was in the assembly hall to talk about his impressive fundraising achievements, which have included completing two marathons and an Ironman triathlon challenge.
But waiting in the wings to surprise 11-year-old Tobias was the book's author David Walliams. Walking out into the hall to gasps from the audience, he revealed the real reason he was there - to give Tobias the news he has won a Pride of Britain award.
Britain's Got Talent judge David said: "Good morning Tobias - lovely to meet you. I think you read that better than I did!
"I've heard all about the incredible fundraising you've been doing and helping others. It's magnificent. You deserve this more than anyone."
Stunned, Tobias said he was chuffed to bits at receiving the gold envelope with the news from David.
And for the comic, 51, there's no more worthy recipient of the Good Morning Britain Young Fundraiser of the Year award than Tobias, who completed the gruelling challenges despite having cerebral palsy.
He says: "I was amazed by his story. There's lots of ways to raise money but to put yourself through a triathlon when you're 11 and you have cerebral palsy is something quite extraordinary.
"When I was that age, I would never have thought of doing anything like this, it wouldn’t have entered my consciousness really.
"I’m absolutely flabbergasted that he’s done these things, and I’m really pleased he’s being celebrated - as he should be."
Tobias will be honoured at the glittering Pride of Britain Awards, with TSB, taking place at London’s Grosvenor House on Monday where a packed room of winners and celebrities will hear his incredible story.
Hosted by Carol Vorderman and Ashley Banjo, the awards will also be shown on ITV, as will the scenes of David surprising Tobias, then reading Gangsta Granny with him.
The youngster, from Sheffield, started his charity endeavours in March 2020 when the UK was going into lockdown.
Aged just nine at the time, he had initially planned a sponsored walk. But when the pandemic struck it was called off.
Instead, inspired by his hero the late Captain Sir Tom Moore, Tobias decided to walk a marathon up and down his street using his walker.
At the start, he could only walk a maximum of 50 metres - but through sheer determination he was soon completing up to 750m a day. The marathon took him 79 days, and sparked an interest in Tobias doing further feats for charity after he smashed his initial target of £500 to raise more than £40,000.
Tobias was diagnosed with the neurological disorder, as well as autism, as a young child. This makes everyday tasks many of us take for granted challenging for him.
But undeterred by his conditions, after completing his first marathon Tobias decided to do a second. This time, he used a frame runner to run it, taking him 49 days and finishing in August 2020.
Then, in September 2021, he finished a tough Ironman triathlon - running, cycling and swimming - which took him a year to complete.
Most recently, in the summer he raised more than £3,000 through his event Tobias in the Park, which saw members of the public join him on a sponsored one kilometre walk to raise money to fund play equipment for other children with disabilities. He’s now planning to make this an annual charity event.
Through his challenges Tobias has managed to raise a total of almost £160,000 and counting, with the majority of the money going to Sheffield Children's Hospital who have treated him over the years and his former school Paces.
Mum Ruth Garbutt, a teacher, says: "We’ve known that Tobias had cerebral palsy from when he was very young.
"In lockdown, I became responsible for helping him with his physical therapy, and walking up and down the street also gave us a routine and helped him.
"He was finding it challenging, but he was enjoying it and we knew it was good for him physically and making him stronger.
"Tobias then saw Captain Tom on the TV and was inspired to fundraise by him. The reason he picked the places to fundraise for is that they mean something to him.
"He went to Paces, a special school for children with neurological conditions, and they were amazing at making sure he has progressed as much as possible so he wanted to help them.
"He's also been at Sheffield Children's Hospital a lot. When Tobias set out to do his initial challenge, he said he wanted to make enough money to ensure every child who had a sleepover at the hospital got to have jelly."
While it may seem Tobias has raised enough money for every child treated there to have a lifetime supply of the sweet treat, the funds raised have gone towards a physical therapist who works with children who want to achieve challenges like Tobias did. And the money given to Paces has helped them move into a new building.
The surprise, which took place earlier this month at St Paul's CoE Primary School in North London, left Tobias, who has been nicknamed 'Captain' after his idol, stunned.
A huge fan of David's children's books, Tobias was delighted to receive a lot of praise from the Britain's Got Talent judge.
"It was absolutely amazing," he says. "I was so surprised. It's amazing to hear that David Walliams thinks I’m great."
David says Tobias is a great role model for all of us. He adds: "People like this show us how the world could be - you see terrible things happening on the news and you read about people living in difficult circumstances and we often feel quite helpless and that you can’t really do anything.
"But people like Tobias show us that we can do something to help, whatever that might be. Tobias has an incredible character and determination.
"You feel very humbled when you get to do this kind of thing because you realise how irrelevant your own life is. These people are the real heroes."
And David says he could even see himself basing a character on Tobias for a future book, but jokes: "As long as I don't have to pay him."
As he signed copies of his books for Tobias and the school's library, David says meeting the youngster was like catching up with an old friend. "It was lovely to feel a real connection to the person that you’re surprising," explains David.
"He’s done some physical challenges and I’ve done a couple myself, so I felt as if we had lots to chat about. It felt like we were old mates."
Tobias has previously been honoured for his achievements, with one standout accolade being the British Empire Medal which he received at Buckingham Palace in May, making him the youngest ever recipient in the New Years Honours.
"It seems that my son is a bit of an inspiration, which is very overwhelming for me - it is quite staggering to see everything he has achieved," says Ruth.
"If Tobias loves doing the challenges I’ll always support him doing them. I am absolutely bursting with pride, not only for everything he's already done but for what he’s going to achieve.
"I always knew that Tobias would do great things with his life, but I didn't necessarily think he would do them when he was so young.
"To have all of these opportunities and to be recognised in all of these different ways is really pleasing. He deserves it."
Watch the Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards with TSB on Thursday 27th October, ITV, 8pm.
