I was saddened to read of the death of Mr Tom Rice and sorry he had to suffer so long.

Our children were at Turlin Moor School in the 1970s when Mr Rice was the headmaster there.

Mr Rice welcomed us and we discovered his whole world revolved round the children.

He was always around with a kind word and he knew every child by name.

It seemed that he knew all the parents and which children they belonged to as well.

Our elder son unfortunately drowned when he was just 18 and although he had left Turlin Moor school many years before we received a lovely letter of condolence from Mr Rice.

Mr Rice was a dear, amazing gentleman who will be greatly missed and my thoughts go out to his family.

MRS J WOODHAM, Blandford Road, Upton, Poole