A High Wycombe bowls club is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year.

Bassetsbury Manor Bowls Club is celebrating its diamond jubilee with a series of events to mark its history, which started with a match against the Buckingham Executives Association in May.

Each team won two games and one match was drawn, but the Executive took an overall nine shot victory over their hosts, winning 91 – 82.

David Webster, Chairman, who has been involved in the club for six years, said: “It was a great day, fortunately the weather held off for our match.”

The match marked 60 years since the club and the manor house were officially opened on April 30, 1955 by the Mayor of High Wycombe, Alderman J.F.J.S Bunn.

The event was attended by teams from High Wycombe, Broom and Wade, High Wycombe Police, Castle Brothers, Marlow and Glory Mill and Mayor then went on to bowl the first bowl on the green.

Bassetsbury Manor was named after the Bassett family, who held the Manor of Wycombe from 1171 and the last Basset to own the Manor died in 1271.

After various owners, including local antique dealer Frank Skull, who restored it to its former glory in 1931 and maintained it until his death, the manor was bought by Wycombe District Council for £6,100 in 1952.

The Bowls Club now lease the green from the council and open every day from 1.30pm from mid April to mid September.

The club currently has 50 members, but Mr Webster hopes they can return to their former glory.

He said: “We have around 50 members, but we used to have 150, so we would like to get back to that.”

The club will continue to celebrate its milestone anniversary with a celebration dinner in November.

Visit www.bassetsburybowls.co.uk for more information, or call club captain John Day on 01494 438 381 for more information.