HUNDREDS of former pupils and teachers were reunited today to mark a school’s 80th anniversary celebrations.

Leyton Sixth Form College, formerly County School for Boys, in Essex Road, Leyton, opened its doors to alumni on Saturday.

Former pupils and teachers travelled from as far afield as Scotland and Ireland to share their memories and enjoy the display of memorabilia.

Items dated back to when the school was opened by the HRH Prince of Wales, who later became King Edward VIII, on November 28, 1929.

Many former pupils said it was strange to walk through the school's gates once more.

Keith Speller, 81, a retired quantity surveyor from Brentwood, Essex, attended the school from 1939 to 1944 and recalls all the boys getting into school early to collect fallen shrapnel to sell on for a shilling a piece.

He said: “I used to do magic shows every Christmas and I still bump into people who remember me as the magician from all those years ago.

“It has felt strange to come back and see some of the old faces. It is fantastic to walk around – the basic concept hasn't changed much.”

Roy Rich, 71, a retired accountant also from Brentwood, said: “I have brilliant memories. It was a really good school. It was a good education and great for sports. Many people went on to be very successful afterwards.”

Liz Graham, 58, a retired teacher, taught sociology and history at the school from 1973 to 1981 and said she still gets stopped in the street by former pupils.

She said: “I loved teaching here, it was a very happy place and I still have lots of friends from here.”

Director of college services, Dawn Hamilton Barrett, who organised the event, said: “There has been quite a few reunions and I have met people who were here from the 1940s right up to the 1980s. It is the first time many people have been back here for 40 years and the atmosphere has been lovely.”

Ms Barratt said much of the memorabilia was discovered while clearing spaces ahead of the school's upcoming £40million re-development. She added that the school plans to create an archive for future generations to enjoy.