A DINNER LADY who spent 37 years looking after Abercarn’s children retired after a special assembly held in her honour yesterday.

Jan Dury, 72, who lives on High Meadow, has always lived in the village.

And in her time working at Abercarn Primary School she has seen her children and grandchildren attend it.

She said of her time at the school: “It’s been absolutely fantastic. I wouldn’t have been here for so long if it wasn’t.

“The children still say: 'when are you coming back?'”

The special assembly was a present from the school’s staff and pupils in recognition of her service.

In her time at the school, she has seen five different head teachers and head cooks.

On the 20th anniversary of her working there, staff bought her a nest of tables. On the 25th anniversary she was given a picture of all the school’s children.

And she used to visit a class in the afternoon after she had worked at lunchtimes but had to give it up because of chest problems last year.

She has had only three jobs. The first, which she got when she left school, was working at the West Wales bus company. She left in 1960 when she got married and had children. Then she worked as a cleaner at a school and then did office work. Then she started working at Abercarn Primary in 1976.

Kirsten Robinson, the Reception teacher at the school, has worked there for 18 years and arranged the special assembly for Mrs Dury.

She said: “Mrs Dury’s been absolutely amazing.

“People do not leave because it is such a lovely family school. We know every one of the children’s names.”

Staff arranged for the haulage company Eddie Stobart to send a retirement card to Mrs Dury because she is a big fan.

And as part of the assembly, staff and children took part in sketches based around TV programmes. She had to eat unusual foods in an I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here skit and for a Strictly Come Dancing part, a former head teacher danced with Mrs Dury.

At the end, Mrs Dury was told she was “retired” by someone playing Lord Alan Sugar from The Apprentice.