AT All Saints Juniors, North Parade, children wept as they filed out of the school for the last time.

Most of the 270 children had the autographs of friends and teachers signed onto their shirts.

Earlier in the day they had attended a last church service at All Saints Parish Church and in the afternoon all the children gathered in the main hall before the official end of school at 3.15pm.

Susan Devereux, whose daughter, Ciaragh, eight, goes to the school and whose other daughter, Alice, left last year to go to Prince Henry's Grammar School, said she was very sad to see it close.

"It has always been a wonderful school. No-one ever thought it would close.

Mrs Devereux, whose daughter will now go to Ashfield Primary School, added she was worried what would now happen to the building.

Sara Drake said: "We have to be positive, but I do feel it is wrong to close the school. I will never let the councillors responsible forget what they have allowed to happen."

Grandmother Elaine Westgarth, from Guiseley, said five generations of her family had attended the school.

"This school has been at the very heart of the community.

"I came here and both my mother and mother-in-law came here. My son and daughter came here and now my grandchildren come here."

Mrs Westgarth said the children, who all travelled from Guiseley to go to All Saints, because it was so good, would now go to schools in Guiseley.

Parent, Patricia Ellis's father, Alan White, was caretaker at the school up until five years ago, and both her, her parents and brother all went to the school.

"The teachers have made the last few weeks really fun for the kids, but I think it's rubbish that the school is closing."

Parent Dawn Kirby said her children would now be returning to Westgate Primary - where they had left to go to All Saints.

"The children will be affected, it's really sad for them all."

Pupil Adam Walker, 11, said it had been a very emotional day. "It has been a really emotional experience for everyone, even the teachers have been crying," he said.

"I don't think the school should have closed, it was a good school and its right in the centre of the town."

Brendan Sutherland, 11, added: "Loads of the girls were crying, it's just been really sad for everyone at the school."

Traffic control warden, Colin Robinson, has been the school's lollipop man for two-and-a-half years. had collected at least six boxes of chocolates from grateful children by the end of the last day.

"They're a grand bunch of kids, I'm really going to miss them."

Mr Robinson added he would be starting the new term at Westgate Primary School, Scarborough Road.

"I'm off to Westgate now, nobody wanted to do that one because of the traffic, but I used to be a lorry driver and the traffic doesn't bother me."

Teacher Phil Skerratt, a teacher at the school for 27 years, said despite attempts to get another job he had not even been given an interview.

"No one wants experienced teachers, some of us have been rejected even without interviews. I've got six children and I just don't know what I'm going to do.

"And what the council has given me for all my time here wouldn't even buy a second hand car."

Mr Skerratt added he had had a wonderful time at the school and praised the teachers for their conduct over the last few months of the school.

"The teachers have behaved with the utmost professionalism."