A LONG-serving headteacher took to the skies yesterday as a surprise to mark her retirement.

Anne Ferguson was left speechless after she was taken on a secret journey to playing fields in the town and then whisked away by helicopter.

The stunned 58-year-old had no idea that staff at Reid Street Primary School, in Darlington, had been planning the adventure, and instead thought she was attending a school sports day at Abbey Road playing fields.

But former pupil Gavin Stapleton, 31, now a Chief Petty Officer in the Royal Navy, was waiting to take her on a surprise helicopter ride across the town.

He had been visiting North-East schools with a team of naval officers as part of a programme to give pupils the opportunity to board the Naval Lynx Mark III helicopter, which is usually stationed aboard HMS Cumberland in Devonport.

The crew flew to Darlington yesterday afternoon after a visit to Springwell Village Primary School, in Gateshead.

Mrs Ferguson has been head at the school since 1984 and has also worked as deputy head at Red Hall Primary School, in Darlington, Woodham Burn Infants, in Newton Aycliffe, and Shildon County Primary School.

She said the trip had been a treat for the pupils as well as herself. She said: "I had no idea about it at all.

"It was very exciting. It was made more special because one of our ex-pupils flew the helicopter and, during the ride, we flew over the school.

"The children were in the playground clapping and cheering. It was wonderful to see the school from the air and look down."

As well as flying over Reid Street Mr Stapleton also flew the headteacher across her home town of West Auckland.

The trip had been organised by Mr Stapleton's mother, Jean, premises manager at Reid Street School, as a gift before Mrs Ferguson retires at the end of the summer term.

She said: "I knew that my son was going to be coming up to Newcastle with the Navy and I asked him if he would visit Reid Street as a leaving present for Mrs Ferguson.

"Gavin used to be a pupil at the school but he left before Mrs Ferguson joined. She did get to know him, though, because his sister was in her class and I have also worked here for 20 years."

Mr Stapleton, who attended Branksome Comprehensive, in Darlington, before joining the Navy, said: "I was happy to help out."