PUPILS at Lethbridge Primary School have waved goodbye to dinner lady Simone Taylor after more than a decade of hard work.

The 63-year-old was given a surprise send off in the school hall yesterday where youngsters presented her with goodbye cards and two bouquets.

Although Mrs Taylor has worked at Lethbridge for a little over 10 years she has been a dinner lady for more than three decades in schools across Swindon.

She said: "I will really miss the children.

"I have done this job for so long because I just love their company.

"I really enjoy being around them and I will miss every one of them."

The midday supervisor has spent her time at the school in Old Town watching the children play, looking after them in the playground and helping out at lunch times.

Ten-year-old Grace said: "Mrs Taylor is always really nice and she doesn't mind if you drop a plate, which I have done twice."

Toby, 11, said: "She is never in a bad mood, she is just always happy.

"We are all really going to miss her."

As an extra surprise the school arranged a meal for Mrs Taylor at the Old Bank restaurant in Old Town so she could finally put her feet up.

Headteacher Ray Norman, said: "We really appreciate people like Sim because it is difficult to find someone just to come in for an afternoon to stand in all sorts of cold weather.

"Sim has been here for a very long time and continued the job in all weathers just for the love of it.

"She will be very greatly missed."

Mrs Taylor now plans to travel the world - but not before she has had that well deserved rest.

She said: "I'm starting off visiting Scotland then France and Belgium and on from there ... everywhere.

"I expect I'll find it difficult to settle into retirement.

"No doubt I'll be looking forward to coming back in on Monday although I doubt I'll be calling up desperate for shifts."

Year 3 pupil Zahra, seven, said: "She has done a really good job here and we're all going to miss her lots."