Children and staff at Southbroom Infants School gave caretaker Bill Woodman a good send-off when he cleared up for the last time on Friday.

Mr Woodman, who is also chairman of Waiblingen Way Residents Association, has been working at the school for 17 years and has seen children of some of his original pupils attend the school.

In a special assembly, he was blindfolded and asked to identify some of the tools of his trade by touch. The children presented him with an engraved tankard and a few Wadworth beers.

A keen angler, he was also given some vouchers to buy fishing tackle.

Head teacher Jan Wilson said: “He was here when I arrived and he will be greatly missed. Former staff came along to pay tribute to him.”