AMERICAN actor Henry Winkler – best known for his character The Fonz in seventies sitcom Happy Days – showed Saffron Walden youngsters that he is not too cool for school.

Mr Winkler visited RA Butler School in South Road on Wednesday to introduce children to his new book.

As a schoolboy, Mr Winkler struggled with dyslexia and he is touring the country to help raise awareness of the fact that one in five children experience learning challenges throughout their formative years.

Mr Winkler said: “School was unbelievably hard for me. Teachers didn’t know what dyslexia was at that time. So I was labelled a trouble maker. I was the class clown. I got a bad grade in everything but lunch. I was great at lunch!

“I was told I was stupid, lazy and not living up to my potential most of my life. And, when you’re younger and you’re told that, you believe it. It’s part of your self image.

“Just because we learn differently, that does not mean that we are not incredibly smart human beings. That’s something I need every child to understand.”

Mr Winkler introduced the children to his Hank Zipzer stories which focus on a 10-year-old boy with dyslexia and is based on his own experience. Also speaking to the children was Nicky Cox, the editor of weekly children’s newspaper First News.