Dorothy C. Maguire (nee Coles), of Arnside, recalls visitors to Underbarrow School

DURING my time as Head of Underbarrow School I always encouraged and welcomed visitors.

One day we had two student teachers from The Gambia, West Africa. It was the middle of winter and we took the children on to the playing field for games - I think the young men were frozen!

Another time we heard that Valerie Singleton, the Blue Peter presenter in the 1960s, was stopping at a secluded guest house nearby, so we wrote her a letter inviting her to visit our school.

She came and spoke to the children for half-an-hour and they were spellbound by such a well-known personality.

But perhaps the most daunting visitors were a party of about 12 from the Ministry of Education in London.

It was probably about 1970 and they were being shown a typical Westmorland rural school.

The 24 children, 4-11 year olds, were all in the large classroom and were rather over-awed to have so many people watching them work and asking questions.

We had three little girls who came to us occasionally, from Brigsteer, for a month each year.

The little Patterson girls' father was in the Diplomatic Service and he and his family were posted to many overseas locations.

When on their annual leave they came to their Brigsteer cottage and the three little girls attended Underbarrow School, where everyone made them so welcome.

I still receive an annual Christmas card from Nicola, the eldest of the three, containing news of her family.

Perhaps the most popular visitor was the late Rev Sandy Lofthouse, who came most Friday mornings with his melodeon to take our assembly. We had many melodious and inspiring times. He left a lasting impression on us all.