Shropshire action man Tom Ward failed to battle through to the finals of TV’s Gladiators.

Following a string of unlucky slips, Tom, a 27-year-old school teacher from Shrewsbury, lost out at the penultimate hurdle to competitor Simon Wray in the semi-finals screened on Sky One.

The head of PE at Church Stretton Secondary School had been competing in a new series of the show since April in the hope of scooping the grand prize of £50,000.

The father-to-be made it through to the semi-finals after beating off competition from 2,000 would-be Gladiators contestants.

But last night his journey came to an emotional end after losing out in hard-fought battles with the Gladiators and in the head-to-head with his rival across a series of combat clashes.

However, Tom has other things on his mind as his partner Emma Cackett, a teacher at Llanfyllin High School, is due to give birth to their first child any day now.

Tom is also a striker with Market Drayton Town and today his team manager Simon Line said: “He was very disappointed because he had high hopes and had put in a lot of time and effort and did very well in the heats.

“He was very unlucky at not getting through the final hurdle, but like he always does he gave it 100 per cent and on another day he might have made it. It was a great effort.”

Tom has become a hero among pupils at his school and his efforts also attracted praise from the school where he previously worked, Llanfyllin High School.