HE might be more used to negotiations with world leaders, but yesterday the US Ambassador was grilled by smart young minds from York.

Ambassador Matthew Barzun was at Fulford School yesterday morning talking to students about US politics, and his country’s “special relationship” with the UK.

He was greeted by school presidents Holly Burgin and Uji Thapa, before speaking to a group of sixth-form students studying US politics at A-level.

The students talked about the US and its place in the world with Mr Barzun in an interactive presentation, and told him that America’s gun culture was one of their biggest worries about the country.

Holly said: “The ambassador told us that he had been to 64 schools, and at every single one students had brought up the issue of guns.”

The students also heard about America’s role in conflicts from the Second World War to Vietnam, Rwanda and Syria, its part in the Israel and Palestinian conflict, as well as some domestic matters like income inequality in the USA.

Holly and Uji said group enjoyed the chance to talk about their view of the world with the ambassador.

Uji said: “I think it’s the quietest we have all been.

“It allowed us to get someone in a position of power to almost explain the way they have to think about their job.”

Fulford School deputy headteacher Dan Bodey said: “It was really impressive that he wanted to engage with education like this.

“It was a great opportunity for the students.”

The school has enjoyed a spell of famous visitors lately, with students meeting footballer Fabrice Muamba, and actor Sir Ian McKellen as well as the ambassador in the last year, he added.

The ambassador spoke at the University of Hull on Thursday evening, and and spent the day in York appearing on local radio, and visiting the City Screen cafe in Coney Street, after his visit to Fulford School in the morning.