When he was five, Michael went to St Jude's School in Wolverhampton before moving to Wolverhampton Grammar School. But the family were soon to get a change of scenery after Victor accepted a job on the Express and Star newspaper in London. Not long after, the Biddulphs relocated to London and Michael enrolled at Archbishops Tenison Grammar School in Kennington, London.

He soon adapted to life in the capital, picking up the lingo and making friends with the locals. Victor said: “He was talking normally at home then we heard him on the telephone talking to his mates in Cockney. I made it clear to him that he did not talk like that at home”. Michael agreed and promptly went up the apples and pears to phone his mates, only to be overheard chatting away merrily using his new-found Cockney slang.

Michael became so integrated in London life that when his teacher told him the class was going on a trip to the Tower of London he cheekily informed him that he had already been once and did not care to go again.

Mum Mary said: “Michael's Master told the class to bring sandwiches the following day as they were going on a day trip to see the Tower of London. On hearing this, Michael put up his hand and pleaded: 'Please sir, must I go? I have already been there.' Yes was the answer and so he went.”

The family eventually moved back to Wolverhampton where Michael returned to his old grammar school. He was very surprised to find another boy with the same surname there and the two Biddulphs soon became firm friends.

On his last day at the school, Michael shed his schoolboy image in a dramatic fashion. When he came home with his regulation hat missing Mary asked him: “Where's your cap, Michael?” He casually informed her that he had thrown it up in the air when he was leaving and it landed on the gate posts, where it remained.

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