A VETERAN English teacher will be the VIP guest at a reunion of school pupils from the Fifties and Sixties.

Bill Rollings, who is now 95, is the guest of honour at the Witham Secondary School reunion next month.

He taught English and PE at the school from 1947 to 1960.

Reunion organiser Brian Olley said: "Bill used to teach English and PE. A lot of the people who get along to the reunions are people who played football at school and then went on to play for Witham Town or Crittalls because he took them for sport and they have fond memories of him.

"There are a couple of guys from Hatfield Peverel and Kelvedon who left school in 1948.

"One became a very keen footballer and cricketer and the other was into boxing at Chelmsford – he still looks pretty handy!

"My brother-in-law was born and bred in Witham and played in goal for Witham Town when they used to play in the park for many years."

More than 50 former pupils attended the last reunion.

Brian, 83, is hoping to see some new faces at the next get-together.

"People show each other old photos, newspaper cuttings and football programmes dating back many years," he said.

"Your days at school are the happiest of your lives but you don't realise until you are getting on a bit.

"I chat to Bill on the phone and he can't believe amount of enthusiasm from past pupils to come along and meet up."

Witham Secondary School was on the Spinks Lane site where Maltings Academy is now.

Brian was born in 1935 and remembers carrying his gas mask to school during the war.

He left school in 1950 and went on to work for farm machinery firm Ernest Doe for 45 years.

Brian added: "We are trying to find as many old pupils as we can for the reunion and hopefully some who haven't been before.

"I picked up three on Facebook who have never been before.

"I don't know how many more reunions there will be but while the sun keeps shining, like it is today, we'll keep going.

"It's nice to have a get-together where people can share a yarn."

The reunion will be a carvery lunch on October 9.

Former pupils wanting to attend should contact Brian on 01376 513042.