SHE'S seen two generations of pupils pass through the school gates and worked for nine head teachers.

Now retirement beckons for Sue Yates, after she waved goodbye to the school where she has worked for the past 27 years.

The 60-year-old spent her last day as secretary at Our Lady's RC Primary School, in Acomb, York, this week - but she won't be losing touch.

"My grandchildren Luke and Robert are still at the school and I'll be taking them there a couple of days a week," said Sue, of Green Lane. "And as I also live in the area, I'm sure I'll regularly see plenty of people I know from the school.

"I'm looking forward to retirement and spending more time with my husband Bob. The parents bought me a National Trust membership for my leaving present, so I'll be using that to see a lot of places.

"But working at Our Lady's has been absolutely brilliant. I don't think it's quite sunk in yet that I've left."

Sue estimates she's known more than 1,000 pupils during her time at Our Lady's, saying: "It's the children who make the school - it's such a lovely, family-oriented place.

"Working there was never boring and it was great to hear all the family stories. There have even been parents who were pupils when I started bringing their own children back to the school and it was so nice to hear about their lives."