Police have thanked the 'courage' of those who came forward to report the sexual abuse of children by their North Somerset teacher.

Fifty year old Nigel Leat yesterday admitted over thirty counts of sexual assault on girls as young as six in his classroom.

Avon and Somerset Constabulary say the guilty pleas mean the victims won't 'have to endure a stressful trial, reliving the moments Leat abused them'.