A DIDCOT primary school decorated the sky with its colours as it released 200 yellow and blue balloons to mark its 40th birthday.

About 250 pupils, staff and guests also shared a giant cake at the birthday of the Stephen Freeman Primary School, in Freeman Road.

Former pupils, governors, and former caretaker, John Burton, 84, were invited to join in the celebrations last week. Each of the balloons carried the name of one of the 189 pupils tied to it.

The school also planted a dwarf cherry tree to commemorate the occasion.

Headteacher Ruth Bennie, 43, went to the school in the early 1970s. She said it had undergone some refurbishment recently.

She said: “In some ways lots has changed but in other ways it has stayed the same. It has always been a very good school with lots of local families coming. There are people like my family who come here and then send their children here.”