A retired teacher who taught at Deal and Dover schools has been presented with her MBE medal by the Queen at Buckingham Palace.

Christine Eyden, of Sholden Bank, off Mongeham Road, Deal, was made an MBE for services to education in the birthday honours in June.

She described the day she met the queen last Thursday (October 9) as: “probably the best day of my life.”

The former primary and deputy head teacher was recognised for her length of service in education after being nominated by her daughter Alison.

She arrived at the palace for 9.45am, with husband Alan, daughter Alison and son Philip, and was assembled with the other recipients in a hall. They were then called to meet the queen in groups of 10.

“They had pinned hooks on us and the Queen just hooked the medal on.

“She asked me about the changes I had seen in education. I said: ‘Children don’t change, the world around them does.’”

Mrs Eyden added: “My biggest concern was whether I would wobble when I did my courtsey.”

"It was probably the best day of my life" - Christine Eyden on getting her MBE

Her 51-year career started at Shatterlocks Infant School in Dover in 1962 aged 20.

She worked there for five years then she married and moved to Staffordshire where she continued to teach for a couple of years before having two children.

Mrs Eyden continued as a supply teacher and moved back to Deal in 1972, working as a supply teacher at North Deal Infants in Northwall Road.

She took a job at Warden House in 1974 before being appointed in 1976 as deputy head at North Deal Infants where she was acting head teacher for two years.

The school merged with the Methodist School in 1988 creating what is now known as Sandown Community Primary School.

She retired from there in 1996 and has worked as a supply teacher since, finishing in July last year at Charlton Primary in Barton Road, Dover.