A Silsden couple went back to Highfield school for the first time in more than 50 years to take one final nostalgic peak around the corridors and classrooms. Charlie and Mary Edgar were invited as guests of honour to have a look around the school before it closes its doors for good.

Mary, 68, says: "I came here in 1942 and Charlie left in the same year, and it's brought all the memories flooding back.

"In those days you left school at the age of 14 or went on to grammar school, and in my case I went to work on the farm in my home village of Laycock. We also had a vegetable patch at school to help with the war effort.

"As we were working on the farm a lot of the time we had to come to school in dirty clothes, so we got a few jibes about that.

"We also had a lot of evacuees from London, and although we gave them lots of ribbing to begin with we all got to know each other in the end.

"All of us had gas masks and we had to practice air raids all the time. We were lucky that nothing ever happened here."

Charlie, 72, says: "If you had a problem with another pupil you used to sort it out in the playground, but you'd have to make sure you weren't caught by a teacher because they were very strict.

"The head teacher Mr Carter, who we used to know as 'Pop Carter', was a gentle giant but he was firm with it.

"It feels very different now and I can hardly recognise the place. The children here are very pleasant, well behaved and a real credit to the school.

"It will really make a difference to the area when the school goes because it has played such an important part in the local community."

With Bradford council about to ring the changes after 100 years of education at the school, it fell to Charlie to ring the old school bell for the final time.

Head Terry Peterson presented the couple with the hand bell as well as a thesaurus each, a copy of the school prospectus, a buttonhole and bouquet of flowers.

The couple also had the honour of handing out fair play awards to pupils who had taken part in the school's Euro 2000 football tournament organised by teacher Liz Moore.

All 240 pupils were also presented with a thesaurus as a leaving present.

The school site is due to be redeveloped by Manningham Housing Association, in spite of calls for a community and sports facility.

Chairman of governors Zafar Ali says: "We have a built up a very good relationship with the local community and I'm sad that the school is to be demolished after 100 years.

"I am very sad that the local authority isn't going to develop a community centre on the site. However I would like to thank all those who have supported the school and kept it going."

Deputy head teacher Trevor Dixon adds: "The children deserve a better building and better facilities, which I think Greenhead can provide.

"There are a number of teachers going to Greenhead so it should be a smooth transition for pupils and I feel very positive about the future.

"The staff have been tremendous, and it will be sad day when we leave the school."