A ZOO worker had an "incredible surprise" when she began looking through her late grandmother's old photographs.

Heather John knew her Welsh grandmother Myra Williams had been a teacher at Black Lake County Primary School in West Bromwich but was in for a shock when she found some old black and white photographs.

There was her grandmother and her reception class in 1950 visiting Dudley Zoo - 65 years before Heather joined the zoo as a presenter.

It was a lovely surprise for Heather as she had no idea her grandmother had ever visited the zoo and castle.

Sadly, the 88-year-old passed away a few weeks ago before the pair had a chance to discuss the trip.

The 28-year-old, who is originally from Cheshire, said: "My Nanna was from Wales and I knew her first job was in West Bromwich, but I had no idea she had been to the zoo.

"Even though Nanna knew I worked at Dudley Zoo she must have forgotten about her time in the Black Country. She never mentioned she had been to the zoo so it was an incredible surprise when I came across the photos.

"It’s so nice to think Nanna had been to my workplace, the only sad thing is I wish I could have asked her about the visit and how she found it.

"Perhaps someone will recognise themselves or a family member in these fabulous pictures. They may remember my Nanna’s strong Welsh accent.

"I know she used to say she struggled sometimes with the Black Country accent and that her and the children had trouble understanding each other."

Heather has replicated one of the photographs, standing in the same spot her Nanna once stood by the 11th century castle.

Miss Williams only stayed at the primary school for a couple of years before moving to London where she taught at a Jewish school until her retirement.

She married Leighton Hopkins and had two children and four other grandchildren as well as Heather.

This week, the late Myra Hopkins would have become a great grandmother for the first time after Heather’s cousin Jennifer and her husband John welcomed baby Graham into the world.