STAFF and pupils, past and present, flocked to Hatters Lane School to celebrate 61 years of the school.

The school in High Wycombe is reopening in September as Highcrest Community School, under the government's Fresh Start scheme, with high hopes for the future.

But the 2,000 people who came to Hatters Lane on Saturday wanted to remember the school of the past. Many had not been back since leaving, and were delighted to bump into old friends.

Mary Turner (nee Evans), a pupil from 1961 to 1966, was overjoyed to find her former domestic science teacher, Ruth Warn, resting out of the heat, listening to the school's steel band.

Miss Warn, now 92, taught at Hatters Lane from 1953 until her retirement.

Mary's daughter, Rebecca, who was also a pupil, is now doing a degree at Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College. Her mother said her daughter could not have done better whatever school she had gone attended.

With Miss Warn was Miss Daphne Hole, who taught at the school from 1946 until 1951 when she moved to what is now the Beaconsfield School.

Five headteachers of Hatters Lane were there. As well as present head Tina Barnes there were: May Hancock, Margaret Lander, Tim Andrews and Ian Blood.

Two pupils from the school's first day also came along.

Guests had plenty to entertain them, including sports, rap music, dancing and drama.

The school cane fetched £30 at an auction and there were cakes, books, photographs and school mugs to buy.

A huge attraction on the day were the hundreds of old photos. These will now be given to Wycombe Museum.

Mrs Barnes said the day had been spectacular.

"There were emotional reunions and even tears," she said.