TWO Haverfordwest primary schools have celebrated their upcoming merger with an open day inviting past pupils, staff and friends back to say goodbye.

Waldo Williams Primary School, named after the Welsh language poet from Pembrokeshire, will open in January.

It will be a merger of Mt Airey Primary School and Haverfordwest VC School.

Pupils at both schools have created pictures inspired by Waldo’s poetry, currently on display throughout them.

“We have given the children a chance to do a lot of research on Waldo and the reason why they chose him is interesting too,” said headteacher of both schools, Cora O’Brien.

“This has been a chance for us to consider the legacy of both schools and outline our wishes for the future of the new school in January.”

Former members of staff and even the schools earliest pupils visited for the open day.

At Mt Airey, Cora Hackett, one of the first pupils to set foot through the doors of the school came to give her best wishes to the new school.

Mt Airey pupil Carys Howells, 7, said the name Waldo Williams had been chosen because “he was a very nice man and he loved Pembrokeshire.”

Both Mt Airey and Haverfordwest VC School had special cakes made for their pupils with the image of the school decorating the top.

When the two schools merge, the pupils will remain at the current sites, but Pembrokeshire County Council has discussed bringing them together under one roof in the future.

Waldo Williams’ his niece was contacted earlier this year and gave the family’s blessing for the new name.

Pembrokeshire County Councillors voted to close the two schools and merge them during their July meeting.

This followed a report to the council in 2017 which suggested the two schools should be closed to simplify local primary education.

This was because they were the only two separate 3-7 and 7-11 schools in the town.