A SOCIETY held a celebratory dinner to celebrate its 50th anniversary.

The Harwich Society's annual dinner was held at the Waterfront, on Saturday, with more than 100 members and guests attending to mark the society's milestone.

The mayor and mayoress of Harwich were the guests of honour and everyone enjoyed a 1970s themed menu to remind guests of life in the early days of the Harwich Society.

A picture board covering the 50 years of the Harwich Society was on display having been prepared by the Harwich Society’s vice chairman and archivist, David Whittle, and chairman Colin Farnell spoke warmly of those who had established the Harwich Society in 1969 and enabled it to grow into the organisation that it is today.

The surprise came when the waiters who had been serving the guests with attentiveness and courtesy suddenly took over the proceedings and burst into song.

Colin Farnell said: "No-one knew that Aileen and I had booked singing waiters as a 50th birthday surprise and it was very funny to watch the reaction of those present when they suddenly burst into song.

"I think that all the Society has achieved over the last 50 years is something worth singing about so we made sure it happened."