A MUCH-loved North Yorkshire school headteacher has retired after 34 years in the profession.

Catherine Hanch, head at Settrington Primary School, started work in London, moving to North Yorkshire in 1989.

Mrs Hanch first came to Settrington as a teacher when there was just 26 pupils at the school, compared to about 50 now.

She taught for six-and-a-half years before getting her first headship at Nawton Primary school where she stayed for just over seven years before moving to Hunmanby Primary as head for three years, returning to Settrington in January 2006.

"I have really enjoyed being a teaching head because my real love is being in the classroom with the children," she said.

“I will miss everyone at Settrington greatly but feel it is the right time to do something different.”

She said new head Mari Palmer would have “a great set of children , staff, governors and parents to work with”.

Head of governors Penny Aspey said they were grateful for all the work Mrs Hanch had done.

"She is extremely kind and a lovely person to work with - the children adore her and there were lots of sad faces when she left," she added.