Freddie Flintoff secures major new role with England Cricket Team for their T20 series against West Indies

The former England captain has gradually returned to the public eye after he suffered a car crash while filming a stunt for BBC’s Top Gear 12 months ago, which left him with facial and rib injuries.

Coaxed by close friend and director of England men's cricket Rob Key, Freddie first linked up with the England Cricket Team in an unpaid mentorship capacity unpaid role before the World Cup in the summer.

Last month, the 46-year-old father of four was confirmed as head coach of the Northern Superchargers men's side in The Hundred but now he has secured a major position with the team which helped him gain cult hero status.

This week it was announced that Freddie will rejoin England's backroom staff for their T20 series against West Indies later this month as a paid team mentor.

Freddie, who has most recently been in Abu Dhabi for an England Lions winter training camp, is expected to fly out to Barbados later this week ahead of five T20s, the first of which is next Tuesday.

Adding to the celebrations, Freddie’s career news was actually announced on the day of his birthday.

The former Greenlands Community Primary School and Ribbleton Hall High School pupil turned 46 on Wednesday, December 6.

In pictures taken by his wife Rachael and son Corey, obtained by The Sun, Freddie can be seen smiling on a fairground round at a winter wonderland wearing sunglasses and a flat cap in one image, and posing with one of his children in another.