A LONG-STANDING headteacher was today bidding a fond farewell to a school where he has been a familiar face for almost 40 years.

Peter Donnelly has been head of Saints John Fisher & Thomas More RC High School, Colne, for 16 years but taught at the school for more than 38.

Mr Donnelly, 59, is retiring to spend more time with his family.

His final week has been packed with events organised by staff, governors and children to say goodbye to the popular headteacher.

The Pope also recognised Mr Donnelly's contribution to the school and the church by granting an Apostolic Blessing for his years of work.

St John Fisher & Thomas More governors presented Mr Donnelly with a cheque at the annual awards ceremony at the Pendle Hippodrome in Colne on Monday night.

This was followed by a mass at Sacred Heart RC church in Colne where he was given an original watercolour of Pendle by staff and teachers at the school.

Mr Donnelly, who lives in Clitheroe, said: "I want to spend more time with my family and enjoy the great outdoors -- cycling, walking, fishing. I'm planning a week's fishing in the Hebrides soon and a trip to Sydney to see my son and his family over there."

He met wife Margaret 40 years ago at college, and the couple have four children -- Andrew, 33, Sheree, 30, Kathryn, 29 and Nicholas, 10.

Born in Edge Lane, Liverpool in 1943, he qualified as a science teacher in 1964 and began teaching at Cardinal Allen Grammar for Boys in Liverpool.

He became the third headteacher at St John Fisher & Thomas More in 1986 and has been there ever since.

"The wheel has been reinvented many times since I entered the teaching profession. In my opinion there is far too much emphasis on testing and not enough on personal development and individual success."

As well as planning to travel and relax after nearly 40 years work, Mr Donnelly will be spending time at his local parish, St Michael and St Johns in Clitheroe, where he will be involved with lay work and the Saint Vincent de Paul, which visits and helps the sick and in need in the community.

There was be a whole school assembly today at 11.30am where Mr Donnelly was to make a speech and say goodbye to the school.

On his years in education, he said: "I will miss the contact and working with my colleagues and the children. It gives a lot of satisfaction to see young people grow and become well-rounded people."

He added: "I feel privileged to have been able to serve the Christian Community of Pendle for the last sixteen years and to lead such a wealth of excellent teachers and support staff.

"I have been the third headteacher at Saints John Fisher & Thomas More RC High School since it opened in 1959, and have tried to create an ethos where young people could learn in a safe secure environment, challenged by the values of the Gospel and developed to their full potential."