TOUCHING prayers and memories were penned by youngsters at a North Yorkshire school in remembrance of their 48-year-old headteacher who died recently.

The messages from pupils aged between five and 11 at Grewelthorpe Church of England Primary School were read out at a packed memorial service for Vanessa Oldfield.

Relatives, governors, staff, pupils, parents and friends attended the service at St James's Church, near Ripon, and included one of her favourite hymns, You Shall Go Out With Joy.

Mrs Oldfield died from cancer in February following a short illness.

Some of the messages written by pupils were later passed on to Mrs Oldfield's husband Johnathan and the couple's 14-year-old daughter Miriam, who attended the service along with other relatives.

Other memories from her pupils have been hung on the bough of a tree at the school.

During the service, chairman of governors Brian Kitching paid tribute to Mrs Oldfield's dedication to the school.

One of the teachers Anne Collins, who helped to arrange the service conducted by Rector of Fountains, the Reverend Robert Sellers and the area's Methodist Minister, the Rev Elizabeth Clarke, said a lasting memory would be the planting of a field of daffodils next to the school.

A memorial table, carved with Mrs Oldfield's name and incorporating a lectern, will be placed in the school.