Thousands attended a reunion at the Hewett School.

The event, set up by organiser Melita Morgan, was planned to be a small get-together before the school is rebuilt.

But the event saw an attendance of more than 2,000 past and present pupils.

Ms Morgan said: “We expected a few hundred but way more than 2,000 turned up.

“The police thought it was a major event – considering the school used to have about 2,000 pupils, everyday back then running that school was a major event.”

In 1970 the schools were combined under the influential educationalist Dr Walter Roy In 1970 the schools were combined under the influential educationalist Dr Walter Roy (Image: Submitted)

The event meant that pupils from all of the school’s intakes, from the 1950s up to the present, were able to take a last look around the old buildings.

The school originated from three separate schools, the Lakenham Boys’ and Girls’ secondary modern school of 1955, and the Hewett Grammar School of 1958.

In 1970 the schools were combined under the influential educationalist Dr Walter Roy, forming one of the largest comprehensive schools in the country.

The event meant that pupils from all of the school’s intakes – from the 1950s up to the present – were able to take a last look around the old buildings The event meant that pupils from all of the school’s intakes – from the 1950s up to the present – were able to take a last look around the old buildings (Image: Submitted)

Former pupil Ian Hawthorn, who returned to the school as a teacher from 1978 to 2015, said: “I think to be honest, I enjoyed almost every day at work.

"I have so many fond memories of Hewett and its people, especially so many wonderful, hard-working, professional and lovely members of staff.

"I am also very pleased and fortunate still to have friends that I made at school.”

Displays by former head boy Richard Price told the story of the school and of Dr Roy.

Mr Price said: ”We’re saying farewell to the buildings we love, but it’s really a human story – people from every Hewett era are here, and have gone on to do amazing things with their lives.

"Today is rekindling friendships which will long outlast the physical structures."

The buildings will be largely replaced over the next year under the Department for Education’s School Rebuilding Programme.