PUPILS turned the clock back 50 years to re-live their days at a hilltop school.

Old girls and boys of Birdsedge School met up for the first time in half a century at the reunion in the Sovereign pub at Shepley.

About 30 men and women from the class of '54 gathered to reminisce. Just a handful were missing.

One of the organisers, John Mitchell, of Woolley, said there were gasps of amazement at "the changes wrought by nature to classmates".

The event was such a success there are plans to hold another next year.

While some ex-pupils travelled from as far afield as Redcar in the North-East, many still live just yards from the school.

"We had a fantastic time," said John. "But there were people you would have passed in the street and never realised who they were.

"Apart from two or three, I haven't seen them in 50 years," he added.

Mr Mitchell told how planning for the event began.

"I was 60 last October and was walking on the tops around Birdsedge and I remembered there was a lad who had a farm up there," he said.

"He had the same birthday as me. I wished him a happy birthday, although I hadn't seen him in 50 years."

With help from fellow classmate Margaret Meachen he set about tracking everyone down.

At the end of the night, all the guests were given a commemorative class photo dating from 1954.