Machete nursery nurse gets degree

Lisa Potts has already received the George Medal for her bravery

A former nursery nurse who protected young children from a machete attack is to receive an honorary degree later.

Lisa Potts, 33, was injured in the attack at St Luke's Infant School in Wolverhampton in July 1996.

The mother-of-two was awarded the George Medal after confronting paranoid schizophrenic Horrett Campbell.

She will be awarded an Honorary Fellowship by Wolverhampton University for her charity work for children that she has carried out since the attack.

Ms Potts has appeared in police recruitment television and cinema advertisements and joined a community-based project in the Black Country as part of her work.

I will always be known for the machete attack in 1996, sadly Lisa Potts

Campbell attacked 18 children with a machete as a teddy bears' picnic was being held in the grounds of the primary school.

Campbell, who was 33 at the time, was ordered to be detained indefinitely at a psychiatric hospital after being convicted of seven counts of attempted murder.

Ms Potts told BBC News the memories of the attack still lingered.

"As the saying goes, time heals and it does get better over the years," she said.

"In terms of that day, I don't think some of the feelings will ever go away and there is always that part of you that feels like it happened to me and I've got to accept that and move on.

"But, I will always be known for the machete attack in 1996, sadly."

She added that she was surprised to learn she was to be honoured but was excited.