A popular quiz show’s resident genius had to have his car towed off the motorway after engaging in a battle of wits with some of Croydon’s own brainboxes.

The current quintet from BBC2’s Eggheads were invited to take part in a charity quiz night at the Croydon Park Hotel, in Altrye Road, as part of a project organised by seven students at Archbishop Tenison school, during the height the cold snap.

But professional quizzer and ex-model, Connagh-Joseph de Mooi (known on the show as ‘C.J.’), was left stranded on the M4 on his way home as the weather got even worse.

Ruth Benjamin, a teacher at Archbishop Tenison, said the incident left Mr de Mooi with a “considerable cost”.

Miss Benjamin said: “I know each one of them sacrificed a lot to attend but it is a mark of the importance people like them attach to education that made me know that they would want to be involved.

“I hope they all managed to arrive home safely today as they are in the middle of a long winning streak at present.”

Nor was it a good night with C.J. on the quiz table, as the Eggheads were beaten by local team Harding’s Heroes, who won the contest on the final Wipeout round.

More than 100 guests also managed to attend the event, despite the worst of the cold snap hitting the roads and train lines, on Wednesday, December 1.