A HIGH school which counts some of Pendle’s most famous sons among its alumni is to be demolished after the keys were handed over to builders.

Mike Carradice, a former pupil and teacher at Edge End High, Nelson, had the honour of being the last person to leave the building. He was joined at the emotional ceremony by millionaire businessman David Fishwick, who attended the school in the 1980s.

The Hibson Road building, which closed for good in 2006, will now be razed.

Edge End opened in 1932 as Nelson Edge End Senior Boys' School, but became Nelson Secondary Technical School in 1948, taking both boys and girls.

It was renamed Edge End High School in 1972.

Mike, 59, attended as a pupil before training as a teacher for four years, which involved a brief stint in the North East. He then returned as a Geography teacher and remained there for the next 37 years.

During his tenure, he progressed to assistant head-teacher and more recently attendance officer. He said: “I’m feeling very down. I know people will say it’s only a building but I have spent 43 years of my life in that building and it is certainly a big wrench to leave.

“I’m responsible for achiving all the old school photographs. I found a lovely little one of David in his uniform with his class, so I took it to him. He asked me what we had planned for the closure and said we couldn’t let it pass without doing anything.”

Life on Mars star John Simm was taught at Edge End along with fellow actors Lee Ingleby, David Bardsley and James Buller, plus Antiques Roadshow expert Eric Knowles. But it was David, who runs the UK’s fastest growing supplier of new and reconditioned vans, minibuses and minicoaches, who initiated the ceremony.

He described the occasion as the ‘end of an era’ and added: “It was a good school with good teachers. I am proof that you can be successful and really do something with your life after going to a local comprehensive school.”

After closing in 2006, Edge End merged with Mansfield High School, in Brierfield, to become Marsden Heights Community College.