A NEW online group has been set up for past pupils of three Otley schools.

The creators of the Newall, Wharton's and Weston Lane to 2000 Facebook page hope it will become a focal point for former pupils to share memories and photographs.

Newall Infant School and Weston Lane Middle School – which was renamed Thomas Chippendale Primary – closed in 1996 and 2002 respectively.

The Whartons Middle School, meanwhile, became The Whartons Primary in 1990 due the amalgamation of primary and middle schools.

Four former pupils – Scott Bradley, Diane Garrett (formerly Baker), Tracey Murrell (formerly Armitage) and Graham Smith – are behind the new Facebook group.

Scott, who attended Newall Infant School from 1971 and The Whartons Middle School from 1975, said: "We are four people who attended Newall Infant School more than 40 years ago and we are seeing the Facebook page steadily growing in numbers on a daily basis.

"We are trying to attract as many pupils to join, who attended one or all of these three schools up to 2000, as possible.

"We all know that photos in that era were not as readily available as nowadays, so we are hoping to attract people to join the page and to share their memories and send us their school photographs.

"We are also hoping the older generation who attended the schools will contact us with their memories and images.

"These people may not have the Internet but it would be a crying shame if these photos were lost or thrown away when so many people who attended the schools want to look back and remember them."

Two of the group administrators, Diane and Tracey, still live in Otley, while Graham now lives in Leeds and Scott in Northumberland.

They are sure many other past pupils, parents and staff will have moved away, too, and are keen to get them involved.

Scott added: "We are hoping ex-pupils, teachers and parents will share all their memories and photographs with the group.

"Photos are hard to find as in the early years not many were taken, but we hope this publicity will prompt people to check their family photo albums, which might include shots of any outside events, school trips or class or school images."

The group can be contacted via – and images sent to – the e-mail address otleyschools2000@gmail.com or by calling Scott Bradley on 07722 358910.

Collections of photographs, which can be scanned and returned, can be arranged, if necessary.