A SPECIAL reunion is being staged next month for past pupils who attended Corfe Castle village school between the 1920s and late 1940s.

Organiser Tom Cattle, 81, is pictured (top right) in the class of 1937 when the school was then known as Bankes Memorial School and educated pupils up to the age of 14.

The infant school was based at what is now the Royal British Legion club.

Mr Cattle said: "I remember the school bell always used to ring in the morning and after lunch to tell people that it was school time.

"Apparently there are protected bats there now so they can't ring the bell."

And he added: "I also remember the huge conker trees planted all around the school playing ground."

Youngsters from as far away as Tyneham and Kingston used to be bussed to the school and former pupils include well-known Purbeck photographer and Tyneham lad Arthur Grant.

The school reunion, which will feature a buffet, is arranged to take place at the school hall on Wednesday, October 6, at 4pm, and admission is free.

Anybody who would like to attend is asked to telephone 01929 558228 or 01929 480489 or 01929 480200 in advance.

During the reunion Mr Cattle will present £500 to the school, raised from the proceeds of his autobiography recalling the Battle of Kohima in north-east India in 1944 - which has been described by Lord Mountbatten as "probably one of the greatest battles in history". Mr Cattle, a veteran of the battle and a former Wareham policeman, is also donating £500 to his old regiment, the Devon and Dorsets.

He said: "Anybody is welcome to come along. We would like to see anyone who went to the school back then."