POPULAR fund-raising group the Bury Lions celebrated 50 years of service to the community.

They celebrated the achievement with a dinner at Bury Masonic Hall last month where they were entertained during the evening by Ryan Salter on piano and Dudley Doolittle, a comedian from Rochdale.

Jacqui Sorfleet, aged 75, organised the dinner and said: "Mr Doolittle is a warm up comedian for the BBC and he had everyone in stitches."

Mrs Sorfleet added: "The night was absolutely superb, the best I've been too and not because I organised it, it was the best because of the people who were there."

A raffle held on the night raised £338, which has been donated to Prostate Cancer UK.

The event was attended by the then Mayor of Bury, Councillor Mike Connolly and his consort Ian Hargreaves.

The highest award a Lion in service can receive, a Melvyn Jones Fellowship was given to Christine Bentley, the Bury Lions first vice president.

Mrs Sorfleet of South Bank Road, Bury, said: "The award is presented to people for humanitarian service, it was created in honour of Mr Jones who formed Lions Club International.

"It's given to people the Lions themselves think are worthy of receiving it.

"Christine has been a Lion for 14 years, she's worked long and hard and she deserves it."

Long serving Lions, Michael Davis and Alan Wilde, members for 30 years and 20 years respectively were also recognised at the dinner.

Fellow Lions from other clubs including Bolton, Heywood and Rochdale also attended.