Pupils and teachers past and present enjoyed a trip down memory lane at a tea party marking a landmark anniversary for their school near Norwich.

More than 200 people attended the event at Hethersett Old Hall School on Sunday afternoon to celebrate the school's 75th anniversary on its present site in Norwich Road, Hethersett.

Among the oldest past pupils to take part in the festivities were Stephanie Lyles and Ann Wootten, who are both in their 80s, and who together cut the school's celebration cake specially made for the occasion.

People had the chance to take a tour of the school and boarding house as it is today, and there were also displays of old photographs, uniforms and other school memorabilia going back through the decades for people to look at.

Headmaster Stephen Crump described the party as a 'delightful' occasion that as well as marking the 75th anniversary on the current site also celebrated the school's friendly, hard-working community and extended family.

'It was delightful, a really nice occasion,' he said.

'We had current pupils and some of our oldest former pupils all gathered together, as well as members of staff. It was a rather nice family occasion.

'There was lots of reminiscing, lots of renewing of old friendships and making of new ones.

'It struck me as headmaster how deeply people value their school days, and how at school you are making friendships for life even if you don't realise it at the time.'

He added: 'Many things change in education over the years but our strong sense of a friendly, hard-working community has continued. There are some constants among the changes.

'The tea party highlighted that sense of community that extends in time, from now and back 75 years, and is still going strong.

'It was a chance to bring people together to enjoy and celebrate that.'

Mr Crump said the original school was founded in the 1920s and moved from Hellesdon House to its current home in Hethersett in 1938.

The independent school – which incorporates a preparatory school for boys and girls, and a senior school and a sixth form for girls – has about 200 pupils aged from three to 18 years.

The school's pupils also belong to one of three houses – Fry, Ryder and Austen.