A COUPLE who have together served a school for more than 45 years are saying a sad goodbye as they head into retirement.

Myles and Angela Moore, of Chislehurst Grove, Burnley, are officially stepping down next week from their roles as caretakers at St John the Baptist RC Primary in the town.

Mrs Moore has worked at the school in Thames Street for 28 years and her husband has put in 17-and-a-half years’ service.

They have lived in Burnley since coming to England from Co Wexford in the Republic of Ireland in 1968.

Mr Moore, 71, said he was ‘a little apprehensive’ at the prospect of no longer working, which for him and his 65-year-old wife means clocking on at 6.15am. Their normal day would continue until lessons start and then resume when classes finish until shortly after 6pm.

He said: “I am a little apprehensive about the immediate future because I love working. We have both enjoyed doing the job.

“The teachers are a credit to the school and there are a lot of lovely kids. We have never experienced any problems with them - they have all been lovely and well-mannered.”

He now plans to play ‘a bit more golf’, while Mrs Moore intends to spend more time with the couple’s great-grandchildren, of which the youngest was born only last week.

He said the worst day he could remember over his long association with the school came about 16 years ago when an overhead water tank burst.

Mr Moore said: “There were hundreds of gallons of water, absolutely everywhere. We worked hours on end to sort that out.”

The most amusing moment, he said, occurred when he asked who owned a bag on the floor and was told ‘it must be Wait Rose’.

Mr Moore says he has no yearning for a return to the couple’s Irish roots.

He added: “We have family there but no friends there after all this time. Burnley is our home. We have made it our home.”

Sarah Price, headteacher at St John the Baptist RC Primary, paid tribute to the Moores as they head into retirement after such long service.

She said: "The dedication Angela and Myles have shown to St John’s has been an inspiration to us all. We can’t imagine life at school without them.

"They have been at the heart of our school family for many years and will be missed enormously. We wish them a happy and healthy retirement."