BALLOONS filled the skies above Pinvin to celebrate the 130th birthday of the village school.

Youngsters from the First School released 130 balloons and shared a special birthday cake.

The school, which had cost £362 to build, had two rooms and 44 pupils when it opened on November 2, 1874.

Since then it has expanded and now teaches 100 pupils. Recent additions include a new library and staff room. The school logo was also changed by the present head teacher Pat Trivett who joined 10 years ago and introduced the Noah's Ark to the school badge.

Pinvin First School was closed for three weeks in 1924 when an outbreak of measles affected more than half the children. In 1931 it was closed following an outbreak of scarlet fever and six years later by an outbreak of diphtheria.

Measles epidemics in 1941 and 1950 also forced a temporary closure.

It was not until 1930 that primitive heating was provided when a gas fire was fitted in response to complaints about low winter temperatures which regularly fell to near freezing in the days before global warming.

Facilities for cooking school meals were installed in 1948 and a year later the school got an electricity supply.

Extensions were added in the 1960's and heating improved with a boiler house.