Schoolmates from over 40 years ago have been reunited.

Twenty-six people who attended Sutton County Primary School in 1959 gathered at Steeton Hall to reminisce about old times.

Many of those present had been traced through an appeal in the Keighley News.

Dr John Laycock, who organised the event with Elizabeth Walker, said: "Earlier this year the search began for members of the class of 1959.

"After 44 years it was feared that this was going to be no easy undertaking, but the newspaper articles proved to be the key to outstanding success in contacting old friends.

"News travelled fast and it wasn't long before the phone lines were buzzing and e-mails were wafting their way across the net. Even an old colleague in Canada was deluged with press cuttings from several of her UK relatives, while the net was the link to yet another colleague in Sydney, Australia.

"Within days the original estimate of 10 for dinner had been met and the booking arrangements needed to be constantly revised to accommodate the ever-growing band of enthusiastic ex-pupils.

"The final count reached 26 from a class of 40 pupils, which after such a time lapse is quite an achievement.

"Every person who had shown an interest in the event made the effort to turn up on the night, and made a positive contribution to the success of the evening.

"Of course, after all those years, the game of 'name the face' was played but after the initial trepidation, the ice was broken and old friends began chatting happily away as though the intervening years had never happened.

"There was lots of catching up to do and old photographs were passed around to bring back memories.

"Approximately half the group had stayed in the area and, whatever their situation, everyone had a story to tell."

Co-organisers Elizabeth Walker, far left, and John Laycock - sixth from left, at the back