FORMER pupils of a Darlington girls' school met up for a reunion after 40 years apart.

About 80 women from the 1959 intake at Eastbourne Secondary Modern Girls' School attended the reunion at the Cleveland Bridge Club, in Neasham Road.

Jennifer Dodds (nee Wilkinson) organised the event from her home in Victoria, Australia, and managed to track down old school friends from all over the UK.

"We all left the school in either 1962 or 1963 and have gone far and wide," she said. "But the response was really good and lots of people were interested."

A cake was provided for the guests and there was a table of school mementoes, including photographs and report cards.