Nottingham’s new students did a double take at their Freshers’ Fair when they bumped into Simon Cowell.

The lookalike Simon called onto campus to bring a bit of a VIP Factor to trentbarton’s stand promoting its 24/7 VIP service and anytime, anywhere £1 discount fare for students.

Simon was flanked by security guards as he made his grand entrance to a Freshers’ Fair packed with hundreds of the University of Nottingham’s first year students.

Giving an on-air live interview to University Radio Nottingham, Simon said he was in the city to make sure every student gets the VIP treatment they deserve: “I’m very good at judging and from what I’ve seen so far, the University of Nottingham’s definitely got talent.

“And I’ve ditched the Bentley. From now on I’m travelling by bus.”

Students were unsure whether it really was Simon Cowell who was shaking their hands on the trentbarton stand and signing autographs. Medical student Roma Patel said: “That was quite an experience. He really looks like Simon.”

Dozens of students had their photo taken with Simon Cowell – who is in reality lookalike Andy Monk who grew up in Nottingham. Andy, who now lives in the West Midlands, has been impersonating Simon for a decade since his brother pointed out the resemblance. He was Simon’s double in this year’s Comic Relief TV wedding when Simon ‘married’ himself.

Holding the crowds back were tuxedo-clad security – in the shape of staff from trentbarton. The ‘bouncers’ included drivers on indigo which runs up to every 5 minutes, with a 24 hour timetable, 7 days a week and is popular with students travelling to and from the University, Beeston and the city centre.

Commercial director of trentbarton, Alex Hornby, said:

“We love coming to the Freshers’ Fair so the students can meet the drivers who will be looking after them all year, by day and night.

“With a flat £1 fare for students, 35% off all fares with the student MANGO travel card and a £199 VIP student saver card for unlimited travel until the end of July we help students get to where they need to go to study, work and play.

“The ‘VIPs choose indigo’ campaign has been in place for a while now to emphasise indigo's 24/ 7 timetable using buses with air con & leather seats, and one of the biggest VIPs around was such a natural fit to help promote it.”