THE school bell has rung for the final time at a Radnorshire village primary school - and its pupils have gone out singing.

Nantmel Church in Wales School closed for the final time after 160 years on Friday and won’t re-open after the Christmas holidays as Powys council agreed in June to close the school.

But before leaving their school and their friends for the last time the pupils released a CD of a song - How can we say goodbye, My Friends - specially composed by their headteacher, Roy Gardner.

The CD, which is being sold in aid of the Children in Need appeal, was recorded at Giant Wafer Studios in Llanbadarn Fynydd.

Parent Ian Rees, who is one of three generations of his family to have attended the school in the village on the A44 between Rhayader and Llandrindod Wells, said Friday had been an emotional day.

"It was mixed emotions. There was an assembly at 3pm and Mr Gardner got the pupils all together and wished them the best for the future. They said the Lord’s Prayer and Father Christmas came in with his Shetland Pony."

Mr Rees, who was also a governor of the school, said his father and his three older sons had also attended Nantmel while eight-year-old Meurig is among the school’s last ever class.

During the final week the school organised a number of activities including a trip for pupils and parents to Cardiff’s Winter Wonderland and a Christmas concert - The Time Machine - that re-enacted 160 years of the school’s history including a pupil who to the first World War and other notable periods of history.

Mr Rees said the school’s last remaining 16 pupils will be attending four different schools when the new term begins in January.

Parents and pupils had fought to save the school when Powys council announced its intention to close it last December.

At the time the school had just over 30 pupils but numbers dropped to 16 as some parents decided to send their children to their new schools for the September term.

Powys council had said it had proposed closing Nantmel following a review of the county’s smallest schools and the council has said its closure will save £54,000 a year.

Last month Brecon and Radnorshire’s Liberal Democrat AM Kirsty Williams, who is the education secretary in the Welsh Labour government, announced a new policy that before closing rural schools councils will have to consider all viable alternatives.