A LONG-SERVING teacher has left a "huge hole to fill" after retiring from a Bradford primary school after nearly three decades.

George Lumbomski, who reaches 65 in November, has taught at St Joseph's Primary School in Park Lane, Little Horton, since 1988.

Although he is returning for an official retirement party with more than 100 former colleagues in September, Mr Lumbomski said an emotional farewell to his pupils as they broke up for their summer holiday.

Mr Lumbomski said: "It's been a long journey, but it many ways, the time just seems to have flown by.

"One of the main reasons I've stayed here so long is because of how close you feel to people, it's like one big family.

"I have enjoyed coming to work every day and the rapport that goes with it.

"I'll miss the children, and all the people I've worked with."

Mr Lumbomski, of Silsden, has taught for more than 40 years in total, previously working on the Isle of Wight and for two years in Saudi Arabia before returning to the Bradford district.

A representative for the NASUWT teaching union for more than 25 years, Mr Lumbomski has mainly taught young children in Years One and Two during his 27 years at St Joseph's.

In recent years, he has used his Polish language skills to teach new-to-English classes to some of the school's 400 pupils, who share 33 different home languages.

"It's difficult to pinpoint one particular moment over 27 years, but the fact I've been using Polish as a language is something I never thought I'd be doing at school, but that's the nature of how things have changed in society and the community here," said Mr Lumbomski.

"There have been so many highlights over the years, and I've had a lot of laughs.

"You need to be able to laugh, as the rest of the job is really hard graft and it is getting more stressful, with the demands put on teachers becoming greater."

Catherine Markham, head teacher at St Joseph's paid tribute to her long-serving colleague.

"When the children leave school, George is invariably the favourite teacher they have had during their time at St Joseph's, and often the parents' favourite as well," she said.

"George is now teaching the children of the children he taught when he first came here.

"In recent years, another skill he has used is his Polish speaking, which has been very useful to us.

"We can't imagine St Joseph's without him, it'll be a huge hole to fill."