School reunion

Former pupils of Down County Secondary School for Girls who attended between 1963-67 got together for a reunion at the Little Common Royal British Legion club on Saturday.

The event was organised by Sue Cant and Tina Thirkell who were thrilled with the success of the evening.

Now in their 50's, some 24 past pupils came to the reunion. They were

- using their original names - Sue Cant, Tina Ansell, Ann Page, Katie Baker, Dorothy Baker, Sally McArthur, Susan Coleman, Gail Morgan, Jane Boarer, Lynn Whiting, Diane Salvage, Miriam Taylor, Wendy Sayers, Avril Leppard, Gillian Stanbridge, Cherry Matthews, Marilyn Rogers, Heather Freeman, Sue Wilkinson, Linda Vale, Rosemary Williams, Mary Bergin, and Jeanette Kirby.

Tina commented: "It was a really good evening - it was absolutely great.

"It was like yesterday.

"We just picked up, and it was like when you have a best friend and you don't see them for years and then you meet up, and it is just like always. It was strange, but it was just like that."

She has herself kept in contact with all her old schoolfriends but said that Jeanette Kirby came down from Dagenham for the reunion and met up with Susan Coleman and Sally McArthur who were once her best friends but then she moved and lost touch.

Tina and Sue began organising the reunion 18 months ago, by sending out lists of past pupils, and it was everything they hoped it would be.

Tina commented: "We thought everybody would meet up and it would be just how it was at school - and it was.

"There was lots of laughter. There were some people who were so much fun at school - and they still are.

"It was absolutely amazing - we are going to do it again in four years."