THE editor of The Independent swapped the newsroom for a trip down Memory Lane as guest of honour at the Bury Grammar Boys School annual awards ceremony.

Simon Kelner, former pupil and now old boy' at the Tenterden Street school, joined pupils, parents, staff and governors at the Victoria Hall in Bolton to celebrate the boy's achievements and success from the past year.

The ceremony was a first for new headmaster the Rev Steven Harvey, who took over the role in April following the early retirement of his predecessor Keith Richards. He congratulated the boys on a variety of successes in music, sport and academics, which included a 99 per cent pass rate at A-levels and 95 per cent at GCSE.

He said: "My hope is that this school will continue to flourish; that it will continue to recruit bright boys and remain small enough for each boy to be known and nurtured as an individual, yet large enough to offer a rich curricular and extra-curricular education. My hope is that this school will remain a place where excellent teaching is supported by the best possible facilities and where the academic results are the best the boys are capable of achieving.

"My hope is that school will remain committed to the education of the whole person by continuing to offer a rich extra-curricular programme.

"And my hope is that school will continue to give the boys an outstanding launch for their adult lives."