PEOPLE at Brancepeth held a party to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the village hall.

The hall, run by the Brancepeth Community Association, has hosted church services since a blaze gutted St Brandon's Church in 1999.

The hall was opened in December 1924 by Lady Boyne, of Brancepeth Castle. Viscount Boyne gave the site on a 50-year lease and villagers built the hall for £2,000.

It had reading and billiard, committee and concert rooms. The village bought the hall in 1974 and the community association was founded to manage it.

Vivienne Lowe, of the association, said: "After 80 years it is still going strong and continues to offer very impressive facilities."

She added that it has gas central heating and a stairlift, and that the activities held there had changed with the times.