Drama teacher Sylvia Greenwood knew the overweight teenager had star quality. And so began the career of one of Britain's most famous actresses.

This weekend Dame Diana Rigg made an emotional return to her native Yorkshire to pay tribute to the woman to whom she owes her career.

Mrs Greenwood, of Menston, has organised the speech and drama section of Wharfedale Music Festival for more than 40 years. But she had little idea what was in store when she attended the festival's annual gala concert at Kings Hall in Ilkley.

Dame Diana's visit had been kept a closely guarded secret. But the star of stage and screen had had no hesitation in agreeing to present an award for Mrs Greenwood's contribution to the festival.

Mrs Greenwood was Diana's teacher at Fulneck Girls' School, Pudsey, and persuaded her parents to let her audition for RADA.

Dame Diana told the audience: "I am in tears. I owe my career to Sylvia.

"Fifty years ago, for some reason, she saw this young girl who was overweight and not terribly attractive and she said 'You are going to be an actress'.

"Without her I would not have had the career that I have had. But the really important thing is that after me came all those other young men and women.

"She has a passion for poetry, a passion for Shakespeare and a passion for words and she has given them something really valuable that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives. That is what makes her the very special person that she is."

Mrs Greenwood said what she saw in her pupil was "star quality". She later spotted it again with former Emmerdale star Helen Weir, who has followed Dame Diana's footsteps in the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Dame Diana still keeps in touch with her former teacher and the pair were chatting away as soon as the star appeared from the wings.

"Isn't this fun!" Mrs Greenwood whispered to her protg. She said afterwards: "This is the best surprise I have ever had."

They reminisced about the trip for the fateful RADA audition in London. Mrs Greenwood remembered them carrying a bag full of money to pay for taxis and overhearing a member of the panel compliment Diana as they walked out.

The star, once the legendary Emma Peel in the cult 1960s TV series, the Avengers, revealed that she had entered the Wharfedale Music Festival herself. She competed four times in 1950s but had always come second.

"I never did get that cup," she said. "But it is so thrilling to see it still going strong because it does bring on young musicians, actors and actresses."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.