AROUND 50 former students of the year 1980 at Ladymead School, Taunton, are holding a reunion to chat about the good old days.

They are meeting up at the Molly Malones pub in Tancred Street - known as The Tanners Arms back in the 1980s - on Saturday, May 14.

Penny Crean, now living in Shrewsbury, started contacting a few former students via Facebook and other social media.

After she launched an event page on Facebook, old friends now in their early 50s have been appearing out of the shadows.

Most of them are still in the local area, many having worked away and then returned to the county town or surrounding area.

Others are spread as far as the USA, Cyprus, Spain and New Zealand.

Contact has been lost with many of their classmates over the 36 years since they all finished their final school exams.

The group have made contact with over 70 people so far, with the vast majority confirming attendance. Many are travelling from afar to be at the reunion.

Penny said: "We’re so thrilled this is going to happen. Everyone is so excited about catching up with all the missed years.”

Former pupil Alison McCarthy, who still lives locally, said: “This has been a long time coming and I’m really looking forward to it."

One of the former pupils is a successful Elvis tribute act.

If anyone left Ladymead School in 1980, visit the Facebook event page ‘Ladymead 1980 school leavers reunion’ for details.