Pupils and teachers have thanked an 87-year-old village stalwart who has offered her land for a new school.

Joan Penfold decided to donate 3.2 acres to Wivelsfield Primary School in Church Lane, Wivelsfield, after hearing about the cramped conditions teachers and pupils had to work in.

The present Victorian school has outgrown its half-acre site and more than half the 125 pupils are taught in temporary mobile classrooms which have been on the school site for 34 years.

Mrs Penfold, who lived in the village for 22 years but now lives in Graveley Lane, Lindfield, decided she wanted to help.

The Penfold Trust, of which she is a major shareholder, is offering the land free to East Sussex County Council.

Mrs Penfold, who left Wivelsfield in 1963, described her time in the village with her husband and two children as one of the happiest of her life.

She said: "The village has got busier with more people living in the vicinity."

Mrs Penfold married her husband, Frank, who died three years ago, in 1936 in Brighton.

She said: "My husband was a wholesale butcher when I married him and after that he got into the car trade.

"I am Brightonian, born and bred. When we got married we moved to Ditchling for a year and then we moved to Wivelsfield Green."

They bought a picturesque cottage in the village, along with the land which has been donated to the school.

The land was never used and when they moved to Lindfield they kept it in trust.

Mrs Penfold said: "We bought the cottage and the land at the same time. We have tried to develop it but it doesn't seem to have come off.

"The school is so badly in need that they have got to build. I would like to see it done before I pop my clogs."

The school was overwhelmed with the gift and as a thank you the pupils made a giant card. Every pupil drew a picture of themselves and then coloured it. The pictures were cut out and stuck on a giant drawing of the school.

Mrs Penfold was also presented with a large bouquet from the staff.

She said: "It was a wonderful card the children made for me. It really is beautiful.

"I am going to get a frame made for it.

"I also did an interview. Apparently, they do a school newspaper and two children interviewed me.

"They really were delightful. They sang a carol and they had their own little orchestra of about seven or eight children.

"The council has been in touch but there is nothing confirmed yet.

"I shall see what it says and see if the school can be built there."

A spokeswoman for the county council said: "We have had an offer from Joan Penfold but at the moment the situation is being evaluated and meetings are taking place with all parties concerned before the offer is accepted."