3:25pm Sunday 27th April 2008
By Kate Turner
HUNDREDS of people turned up to celebrate the 50th anniversary of a Colne high school.
Park High School marked the milestone at the Venables Avenue site, with former and current staff and pupils visiting the school to recount their memories.
More than 400 people attended the celebrations, which included a talk by current headteacher Dr Paul Parkin, pictures and video footage from past events, and tours around the school.
The Mayor of Pendle, Coun Allan Buck, also attended, along with all living former headteachers and Harry Wells, who taught at the school when it first opened at the site. The school was founded in 1900 in Rutland Street, the site of the current Park Primary School, but moved to Venables Avenue in 1958.
Denise Somerfield, a drama teacher who has taught at the school for 35 years, said: "I sent out letters to about 140 former members of staff inviting them back for the anniversary. We also set up a facebook group. I can't believe the response."
Dr Parkin said: "The highlight for me was when Harry Wells did an impromptu talk about his memories of the school."
Former student Sarah Whittaker said: "It has been lovely to catch up with my teachers and look around the school to see how it looks now. The place has hardly changed."
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