THE bursar's role has grown into a big job since Tony Rouse was asked to oversee the finances at Lucton School in 1993.

The school, which reopened four years earlier with just four pupils, had 45 students when Tony arrived on the scene. He took on the part-time post of bursar and clerk to the governors after retiring as manager of Lloyds TSB in Leominster.

Ten years on there are 135 pupils plus the Pierrepont Nursery with 20 children.

Although Tony is stepping down to hand over to a successor, David Chipp, he will still be kept busy as treasurer of Age Concern Leominster and the Rankin Constitutional Club and as a member of the Rotary Club.

David Chipp has been appointed as Lucton's first full-time bursar. As well as handling finance, he will oversee the management of school premises.

Mr Chipp has several years' experience as a school bursar.

Before that he served as an acting major in the Royal Engineers, seeing service both in the Falklands and in Northern Ireland.

He and Tony Rouse worked together for a few weeks to ensure a smooth hand-over.