A CHEQUE for £128 has been donated to Burton Hill House School following a farewell reunion for Lucent staff past and present.

The cheque was presented to Burton Hill headteacher Phil Drake at the school on Tuesday by reunion organiser Rob Wilson, 52, who worked at Lucent when it was owned by Pye, and then Philips, between 1977-1984.

He was accompanied by Paul Lockley and Roy Startup, who work in Lucent's optical network management department.

The money was left over from the reunion, which took place at the Old Mill House at the Lucent site on Swindon Road three weeks ago.

Mr Wilson, of Cirencester, said: "It was an amazing night and was the first time I had been back since 1984 and to see it now was terrific, but quite sad in a way as well.

"For a lot of people working there was the best time of their lives."

In October Lucent Technologies announced it was closing its offices in Malmesbury and Chippenham to relocate to Swindon.

The school has also been presented with a cheque for more than £1,000 from Avonmouth police sergeant Mark Runacres, 29, who was sponsored to run the London Marathon. Sgt Runacres' mother, Rindi, of Grittleton, is a governor at the school.