A TECHNOLOGY teacher is looking forward to a surprise secondment to the Far East.

Gary Brown leaves behind the damp cold of early December to fly to the tropical heat of Malaysia for a fortnight's assignment on Friday.

Mr Brown, who teaches technology, mathematics and sport, at Durham's Chorister School, has been asked to pass on his expertise to teachers in Malaysia.

He achieved a certificate in design technology at Cambridge University in 1996, and when his former tutor at Cambridge, David Jinks, was asked to improve technology teaching in Malaysia, he called in his former star pupil.

Mr Brown is packing his warm-weather clothing after being given the all-clear to travel by Chorister School headteacher Stephen Drew.

Mr Brown said: "I'll be training around 80 Malaysian primary school teachers in primary design technology skills.

"It sounds like it will be hard, but quite an experience. The Malaysian Minister of Education has shown an interest, and I'm going to get to meet him."

Mr Brown said language should not be a problem, because English is widely spoken, but as Malaysia is a Muslim nation, he will have to observe the restrictions of the Ramadan daylight fast festival.