A sailing club has marked its 60th anniversary.

The Kessingland Sea Sailing Club was first launched on Kessingland Beach in 1964.

It successfully weathered both natural and man-made challenges has grown to become one of the area's most successful sailing clubs, with a current membership of 80 members.

The club, originally established by a group of aspiring sailors at the Sailor’s Home pub in Kessingland, experienced considerable growth up until the 1980s, boasting a colourful fleet of boats and a popular clubhouse on Kessingland beach.

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The falling sea level and a 1978 oil spill ended beach sailing, making the club sell all its assets to buy two sailing yachts.

Club president, Paul Noton, said: “As an original beach sailor myself I can scarcely believe the progress the club has made in 60 years.

"We still enjoy thrashing about on the North Sea but today we do it in a modern boat, it even has heating.”

Club commodore, Paul Newman, said: “Our members today owe a huge debt of gratitude to the original beach sailors who had the courage and foresight to transition from a beach dinghy sailing club to a club sailing with two fine, modern yachts.”

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The Diamond Jubilee celebrations also served as an opportunity for the club to establish contact with the original Kessingland beach sailors, to record their experiences of sailing off the beach.

Club honorary secretary, Rose Parnell, said: “It’s been a treat listening to some of the stories of the original beach sailors, we even have a few now wishing to re-join the club."

The commemoration included a reception for the original beach sailors aboard the club's latest boat, a Dufour 365 and a ‘Fitting Out Supper’ at the Royal Norfolk and Suffolk Yacht Club, Lowestoft.