FORMER Thomas Hardye students from the 1960s met up for the first time in 50 years to recreate a photo taken on Weymouth promenade in 1963.

All three used to live in Weymouth and travelled to school in Dorchester on the steam train from Radipole Halt.

Geoff Shaw, Richard Cousins, and Ian Jeffrey had their picture taken by an unknown photographer, possibly a beach photographer called ‘Harry’ Harrison.

After getting in touch with each other through the internet, the trio decided to celebrate the occasion and recreate the picture. Geoff, who is now living in Essex, left school in 1964 and followed a successful career in NHS and university management.

Richard pursued a teaching career, retiring in 2005 as assistant headteacher from a school in Chichester. He now lives in Lyme Regis.

Ian, now a Hampshire resident, spent 37 years in the Royal Navy where he rose to the rank of captain, and then worked for NATO as a diplomat in Brussels.

The three men, now aged 66, and their wives spent a few days together at Richard’s house in Lyme Regis before visiting some of their old haunts in Dorchester and Weymouth.

After meeting up with two more of their classmates, Tony Flux and Paul Clark, they posed on the Prom for a celebratory photo.