IN their day it was short trousers, bruised knees and conkers in the yard. Times have changed, but they all agreed - it was good to be back.

Former pupils joined the current batch at Chester-le-Street's Bullion Lane Primary School to celebrate the school's 70th birthday on Monday.

It was in January 1932 that Bullion Lane School, as it was called then, first threw open its doors to local children.

Seventy years on, former pupils from every decade of the school's existence had their picture taken with today's young scholars.

With pupils past and present aged from four to 82, there was plenty of address-swapping

A school spokeswoman said: "Today's lot were happily chatting with some of the older former pupils. They seemed to have a lot to talk about.

"Everyone had a tour of the school, which has changed considerably, and they all had a lovely trip down memory lane.