A teaching assistant retiring after 25 years on the job has received a great send-off.

Doreen Woolven, 60, has worked at St Martin's CofE Primary School, Hartington Road, Brighton, for a quarter of a century and celebrated her impending retirement yesterday with a huge surprise party.

Friends, family and colleagues were all present to wish Mrs Woolven well.

She began working at the school as a dinner lady before starting to help children to read and then moving on to become an assistant.

Mrs Woolven told The Argus she remembers many changes at the school, including its old premises in St Martin's Street, which had cold, outdoor toilets and a wooden floor which she got her stilettos stuck in.

She said: "Right now I'm in need of a break but I know very soon I will be missing them all. I'll miss all the faces and all the children.

"The thing I remember most is the children and seeing them grow up, seeing their brothers and sisters arrive at the school and doing all the fun things like making costumes for nativity plays."

Mrs Woolven plans to take a holiday in Florida after her final day at work on March 21. She then plans to move house.

She said: "I plan to still keep in touch with the school and still be associated with it. It's played a big part in my life."