THE Roman Catholic Archbishop of Liverpool returned to his former school in Gospel Oak to mark a major refurbishment.

The Right Reverend Malcolm McMahon blessed St Dominic’s Primary School in Southampton Road and took a tour of its new adventure playground. Earlier in the day he had held a mass for children and parishioners at the neighbouring St Dominic’s Church.

The Archbishop, who went to the school in the 1950s and was ordained in his new role by the Pope in 2013, said: “I vividly remember my primary school days. We had great teachers and a lovely atmosphere. 

“I can recall a job I used to do for our headteacher, Mr Boyle. When the coal was delivered for the boiler room, I had to count the sacks and tell him how many were delivered. I had to make sure the delivery men didn’t keep a bag for themselves.”

He added: “The playground is a wonderful and exciting feature of the school, a place where the children can develop their physical and mental skills, and a place which can bring them together as a family. It’s terrific, well-deserved and long overdue.”

The Archbishop went on to St Aloysius School, Highgate, before studying at the Manchester Institute of Science and Tech­nology. After work­ing as a mechanical engineer for London Transport, he joined the Dominican order, which runs the St Dominic’s Priory church. 

The Archbishop said: “At the age of 27 I became a parish priest, before the Pope made me the Bishop of Nottingham. Then, as recently as May, I was made Archbishop of Liverpool.”

The school has two new playgrounds, one at the back of the school which was paid for after an independent fundraising drive, and bare concrete space at the front has been transformed into an adventure playground, with climbing nets and a treehouse, partly funded by Camden Council.

School staff said they hoped the new facilities would encourage more exercise at break times. 

Headteacher Jennifer O’Prey said the playgrounds were a “fantastic addition”.