A MUCH-LOVED teacher from Clydebank will hang up his tie and pick up his compass when he travels the world next month.

Roger Clifford, of Broom Drive, has taken the plunge and bought his flights, which will see him venture to New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, the Fiji Islands, New Zealand, Australia, Thailand, Singapore and Dubai.

The man, who is in his 60s, will leave for the first stage of his journey on Monday, July 2, and plans to be back in Clydebank for Christmas Day.

The drama teacher, known fondly as ‘Dodger’, will share pictures and write about his experience, as he looks to inspire people from his hometown while he broadens his own horizons.

Roger, a self-professed “colourful character”, told the Post: “I’m really looking forward to it and I do know I need to be cautious.

“I’m a very fit man but I’m not young anymore. I’ve got a great interest and surge for seeing, I like looking at things and learning stuff.

“I’m missing my son by two days when I go to Thailand. He’s going to be there with his football team but leaves two days before I get there.”

Roger revealed his free-spirited nature was at the heart of his decision to see the world and get to grips with new cultures.

He continued: “I’m just going out on an adventure. You always learn. It shouldn’t be a case of knowing it all. You are always learning.

“The more you learn, the better you are with people and the more flexible you are.”

However, not everyone wants the sprightly Bankie to leave and pupils at St Andrew’s Secondary are particularly fond of their teacher.

“They’re asking me not to go and they’re asking me to come back,” Roger said. “So, I might have to come back.

“But there’s other things to do in life. I was a young engineer when I left school and I’ve been involved in a lot of things over the years. Now I see it as a chance to do more.

“There is a lot of people at home who can’t do that and can’t put a rucksack on and go round the world, so I just want to give them a bit of Clydebank banter that they can enjoy.

“This is a great thing for them to see, someone from their background travelling and giving them a lift. That’s what I’m trying to do.”