IN his last interview before his death from last week, the teacher who inspired JK Rowling’s unsettling potions teacher Professor Snape told NANCY CAVILL he was pretty proud...

TO the rest of the world she is the writer with the mysterious initials JK, but to John Nettleship she was always quiet Joanne.

Mr Nettleship had been head of science at Wyedean Comprehensive in Tutshill, Chepstow, for two years when he began teaching a timid young second year pupil called Joanne Rowling.

Back in 1976 he had poker-straight black hair worn in a severe centre parting – just like Alan Rickman who plays evil alchemist Professor Snape in the Harry Potter films.

He already had a reputation among his pupils for being exacting and strict.