The wonders of technology and educational reforms - and football - were hot topics of conversation as former classmates gathered together to share school-time memories.

Saturday lunchtime saw the seventh Class of '59 reunion of former pupils of Swaffham Secondary Modern.

It has become an annual occasion since the success of the initial event in 2009, and this year's event was given greater significance as it coincided with the opening of the school 60 years ago.

About 45 old school friends, including three teachers, joined together to reminisce at Swaffham Conservative Club - and as the get-together clashed with Norwich City's play-off fixture against Ipswich Town, cheers rippled through the venue as they were updated with the goings-on at Carrow Road.

Organiser Derek Edwards, who lives in Dereham, said: 'The school was an impressive place and our headmaster George Bishop was fanatical about the quality of teaching and the quality of the school.

'It was a wonderful place to be and we were very privileged.'

This year's reunion saw former form tutor and science teacher Gordon Mason give a talk and former religious education teacher Helen Dye reflect on the opening of the school which has since become Nicholas Hamond Academy.

Mr Edwards recalled how the class had to read at least two pages of the English dictionary while the register was taken, and how Mr Mason introduced the class to photography and electric motors.

The 69-year-old, who was the youngest in the class, said: 'The wonderful thing about this is after such a long time the friendships which spanned so long have reformed.

'Everyone is chatting as if they were still in the school common room. This is one of the biggest reunions of its type that I know.'

Fellow organiser Laurence Wright, 70, added: 'When we first started this, we weren't really sure what was going to happen but as people arrived, they were in the car park and we had a job getting them in as they were all chatting.

'Each year we say we won't get as many but they still keep coming.'

Mr Edwards said 81 former pupils had been identified, of which 67 have been located and 10 had since passed away, leaving four still to find.

Those four are believed to be from RAF families who had since left the area.

Are you holding a reunion with former classmates? Email kate.scotter@archant.co.uk