WHIDDON Down Village Hall celebrated its 50th anniversary last weekend.

The building was opened as the hall in October 1961. Originally it had been the school house for the village, with the school closing three years earlier.

To celebrate the occasion the hall committee gave cream teas to former pupils of the school and supporters of the village hall.

More than 70 people filled the hall, including former school pupil Kathleen Leach (nee Gillard) who travelled from Edinburgh for the event.

Others in attendance were Ethel Bassett (nee Kingsland) and Miriam Hussey (nee Bolt) who both started at the school in 1932.

Margery Wonnacott shared her memories of the school in wartime and the escapades of pupils and staff, with one of the younger former pupils, Ken Drew, reminiscing about the school closing and his transfer to the school in Drewsteignton.