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PUPILS, staff and governors past and present gathered in the glorious sunshine to celebrate a village school's 200th anniversary.

St Nicholas CE Primary School, in School Road, Hurst, pulled out all the stops to mark its bi-centenary on Friday, July 13, complete with bunting, ice cream, and maypole dancing.

Former pupils, teachers and governors were welcomed back to the school, including John Altman who played 'Nasty' Nick Cotton in Eastenders, who first attended the school in 1957.

He said: "It's an honour to be asked to come back today, it has changed a lot since I was here.

"Architecturally, the school is much bigger, but it is nice to see they have retained the style of the old buildings.

"I was born in Reading and grew up in Hurst, I learned to read and write here and it put me in good stead for later years. I learned to swim in the River Loddon, I had an excellent childhood here."

Headteacher Debra McGrail said: "We're really pleased to welcome back so many former pupils and staff to celebrate with us today. The current children have been learning some songs to sing, practising their maypole dancing, and have made some lovely bunting which we have hanging up around the school."

Each current pupil was given a commemorative mug, courtesy of the Hurst Village Society, and a slice of cake.

One of the oldest former pupils Ian McMinn, who started at the school in 1935, said: "The school has changed dramatically, given that when I attended there was a maximum of 30 pupils in the whole school, it is very, very different to how it is now."

Former school secretary Sue Corcoran, who helped to research the school's history for the bi-centenary, said: "The school originally opened at a cottage in Tape Lane in 1818, way before compulsory education, and the parents paid for their children to attend. The school quickly grew, and moved to its permanent site here in 1843, and it has continued to grow ever since."