PUPILS, staff and former colleagues of Cross Ash Primary School paid an emotional farewell to their headteacher, Marilyn Balkwill, who is retiring after a 35 year teaching career.

The tribute took the form of the television programme "This is your life", with year four teacher, Mike Fawcett skilfully taking the role of Eamonn Andrews. Mike will be acting head teacher next year.

Guests learned that she was a local girl, born in Abergavenny

Cottage Hospital in 1955.

The first 'guest' on the stage was Marilyn's brother John Mungeam who revealed her secret pet name as a child was 'Dink", urging all pupils to call her that when they see her next.

Living at Underhill Crescent she attended Castle Street School, which was where the car park to the Angel Hotel is now, and went on to King Henry VIII school. After teacher training in Worcester, she began her career at Grosmont.

Messages from former colleagues were relayed on the screen, and tributes from Denmark and Australia were shown from those who could not be there for her "big day".

A break in proceedings gave the stage over to Miss Alison Powell who is also leaving the school after 15 years.

There was a moving tribute from her husband-to-be relayed on the screen, and in true Eamonn Andrews style, Mike Fawcett revealed that he had managed to "make it here today!"

There was not a dry eye in the house as Mark Cooney walked on to the stage and hugged his future wife. They are getting married and moving to Cambridge where Alison will be a teaching assistant in Kings Ely Junior school in Ely.

Attention then turned back to Marilyn as each class took to the stage to perform their individual thanks through song and speech.

At the end, Marilyn sat down in front of the pupils and said how absolutely overwhelmed she was by the whole assembly.

"It has made the end of my teaching career so special" she said.

"It has been a very emotional day, but I am excited about being able to spend more time with my family."

With emotion in her voice, Marilyn finished by saying: "It is a sad day as it is the end of my teaching career, but what an end and what a school to end it with!"

The governing body have appointed Mrs Laura Perrett as the new headteacher at Cross Ash Primary School. She impressed all the governors with her expertise and enthusiasm during the selection process. At present Mrs Perrett is deputy headteacher at Sofrydd Primary School.