Wartime Dakota in Wath flyover. VIDEO

WARTIME community spirit returned as a school  held an  “evacuation day” this week to mark 65 years since the end of the Second World War in Europe.

Pupils cheered as they were treated to a flypast by a wartime Dakota.

The youngsters at Wath’s St Pius Catholic High wore clothing from the 1940s and recreated a Home Front atmosphere as part of the history project.

A former Lancaster bomber pilot was among the guests on Wednesday and half a dozen feeder schools were invited to take part.

Organiser Tony Dodsworth, the school’s community plan manager, said: “We wanted to encourage the children to ask their grandparents and great grandparents about the war and what it was like, especially at a time when there is so much TV coverage of the war in Afghanistan.”

Head of history Caroline Brown came up with the idea of the day, giving the pupils a memorable experience as part of Second World War studies.

VE day celebrations: PICTURE GALLERY. Click here.