Ex-world boxing champion Chris Eubank talked about one of his pet subjects when he visited a nursery which supports children with speech difficulties.

Chris is known for his exploits in the boxing ring and his snappy dressing but during a nursery school visit he was more interested in talking about his other passion - being a chatterbox.

The father-of-four, who has a prominent lisp, was invited to the I CAN Early Years Centre at Carden Nursery, Brighton, which provides teaching support for children who have speech and communication difficulties.

He was launching a nationwide I CAN campaign called the Chatterbox Challenge, which encourages children to learn a rhyme, song or story to help improve their speech.

Dressed for once in a tame blue suit, Chris read a story to a group of children, aged up to four, about Mr and Little Miss Chatterbox, before joining in with a sing-song.

He said: "Children need to be taught to be chatterboxes, just like me. I chat all day and night and I'm sure it drives most people mad but it is important to talk because that's how you share ideas."

Chris insisted his lisp had never stopped him getting his point of view across.

He said: "I do not have a speech impediment. It is people who have not got lisps and choose not to speak out who have the speech impediment.

"I can communicate a point of view regardless of my lisp and that is what is important."

I CAN is encouraging children to get sponsored to learn verses, raising money for its work in 13 centres across the UK.

At Carden Nursery, nursery nurses work alongside a speech and language therapist from South Downs Health NHS Trust to help about 20 children who have difficulty communicating.

One-to-one structured play sessions are used to help children improve their speech.

Chris, whose youngest child is six, spent much of the morning sitting among the children. Lauren Small, four, sat on the former sportsman's knee as he cut a celebratory cake.

He said: "I see supporting charities and local causes as an important privilege. For me, that is what being a celebrity is all about."

Staff at the centre were pleased Mr Eubank visited.

Speech and language therapist Marina Stubbs said: "It was a nice day and Chris seemed to get on well with the kids."