A BELL boat has been named in honour of a retiring headteacher.

Tim Ireson leaves Pitmaston Primary School in St John's, tomorrow, after a 39-year teaching career in a number of Worcestershire schools.

To celebrate, colleagues arranged to surprise him by naming a new bell boat after him during a regatta among the county's schools.

The bell boat, a type of canoe, has been branded with the words Spirit of Pitmaston on the stern and Spirit of Ireson on the bow.

Mr Ireson said: "It came as quite a surprise.

"We were at the schools' regatta on Monday, July 6 with 500 children and a colleague said, 'we really need to be quayside' and as I went down I noticed a brand new boat and I could see the name on the boat.

"It was a great surprise and a wonderful treat."

The bell boat was funded through primary school sports grants, help from the Canoe Foundation, and a donation from the Police Commissioner's community fund.

It will be used by children at Pitmaston most weeks but will also be available for use by other county schools.

Mr Ireson started his career in 1976 at Witton Middle School in Droitwich and later Comberton Middle School in Kidderminster.

He first joined Pitmaston as deputy head in the 1990s, leaving to take on his first headship at Chaddesley Corbett Endowed First School where he stayed for nine years.

It was here he enjoyed one of the highlights of his career when the school was named in Ofsted's top 200 list in 2002.

He was subsequently head at Drake's Broughton CE First and Middle School, bringing together his first and middle school skills.

Mr Ireson said: "I thought I would probably stay there but then Pitmaston came up again and I couldn't resist the temptation to apply for the school that had got under my skin.

"In the past six years, we've had a very successful journey of school improvements and we've seen many changes, award and accreditations.

"I think the school is very well place to continue."

He added: "I think the secret of my success is probably to have an inner drive but also to surround myself with highly competent colleagues."

Mr Ireson said he will now take on part-time roles as a consultant and assessor and spend time supporting his family and enjoying hobbies.

Pitmaston's current deputy head Kate Wilcock will take on the head's role from September.