Scots-born John Smeaton was working as a baggage handler when he risked his life to help police officers, staff and the public when terrorists drove a flaming jeep into the airport terminal last June.

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While most fled in horror, Mr Smeaton rushed to help a policeman who was being attacked by one of the vehicle's occupants. He also helped drag an injured colleague away from the Jeep, which was loaded with propane canisters.

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The hero, who won the Queen's Gallantry Medal for his brave efforts, took time out from saving lives to officially open the new John Smeaton Community College in Stanks, which welcomed its first pupils in September.

The college is one of five completed under the £112m Combined Secondary Schools Project (CSSP), a partnership between Education Leeds, Leeds City Council and Land Securities Trillium.

Opening the school, Mr Smeaton said: "It's a great honour and I'm delighted to be here.

"One minute you're a baggage handler and the next you're a national hero.

"You have a boring, normal life like everybody else and all of a sudden you're thrust into this life that you read about in the papers.

"I'm just a normal guy who was in a place trying to do the right thing at the right time. I'm nothing special."

The original John Smeaton, who the school is named after, was born in Austhorpe in the 18th century and became the physicist and is regarded as the father of civil engineering.

Among the state-of-the art facilities at the new school include a construction suite, a hair and beauty salon and recording, dance and drama studios.

Headteacher John Daulby said: "Results are improving year on year and we now have one of the best learning environments in the country to add to the brilliant leisure and sports facilities which opened last year.

The other schools to benefit from the CSSP are Ralph Thoresby High, South Leeds High and Carr Manor High, as well as the region's first ever learning campus for two-to-19 year olds at Primrose High and Shakespeare Primary.