A blind music teacher has become an internet star after a video of him playing the piano was posted online.

The video showing Malcolm Timms, 71, of Braintree, playing In a Tiny House by Max Bygraves, has had more than 5,000 views on Facebook.

Popular Mr Timms, who has worked at schools across the town for 35 years, became an online sensation after former pupil Joanne Constantinou posted the clip.

Joanne, who learnt piano and guitar while a pupil at John Ray and Notley High, was reunited with Mr Timms after picking up a cleaning job at his home.

Since the clip went live last week hundreds of people have liked and commented on the video.

Joanne said: “I asked him to play the song and posted it on Facebook and it has had nearly 5.4 thousand views.

“It has had loads of shares and hundreds of comments from all over the world.”

Mr Timms, who owns more than 80 instruments, trained as an art and craft teacher before turning to teaching music.

He said: “In 1972 I was completely blind and paralysed down one side. I was in hospital for 14 weeks and they managed to get me back to something like working.”

After recovering Mr Timms worked at Long Riding School in Brentwood, where he helped form an orchestra, before later moving to Braintree.

He has taught at Southview, St Michaels, John Ray, Edith Borthwick, Bocking, Chapel Hill and Notely High schools.

“Everyone can get some enjoyment out of music,” he said. “We are not all going to be great musicians but everyone can enjoy it and get some benefit out of it.”

Mr Timms, who can play piano, saxophone, guitar, banjo, clarinet and flute, said the video’s success was a “great surprise”.

Joanne added: “It is absolutely phenomenal. There have been lots of comments from people who have become musicians have said if it wasn’t for Mr Timms they wouldn’t be in the situation they were in.”