THE headteacher of a North Yorkshire school is retiring after 16 years of looking after the school and it’s pupils.

Colin Dolman has been headteacher at South Otterington Community Primary School, near Northallerton, since it opened in 1993, and has been a teacher for 38 years.

He retires at the end of the school term this week and celebrated his career and retirement at a ball held in his honour by the school at Solberge Hall, near Newby Wiske, last Friday, which was attended by more than 200 people.

Mr Dolman, 60, of Crayke, near Easingwold, said he plans to spend his retirement gardening and on the golf course.

“I shall have lots of very fond memories of the children and all the things I did with the school, but as much as it is lovely to be surrounded by people sometimes it is very nice to go home and put your feet up.”

Mr Dolman’s successor as headteacher will be Kate Williamson, who takes up her post in September, after leaving her position as deputy headteacher at Brompton on Swale Primary School.