SUCKLEY commemorated the Golden Jubilee by looking back at its past and forward into its future.

A local history exhibition at the village hall took residents back 50 years with pictures of village buildings and places in the 1950s, juxtaposed with photographs showing how they look now.

Newspapers from the Coronation, old toys, maps, kitchenware, radios, 78rpm records and clothing from the period were also laid out.

The exhibition was staged by the Suckley Local History Society and attracted 180 people over the two days.

Secretary Sue Anderson said: "I think the best thing that has come out of this is getting people together. It has brought the old ones out because, obviously, they have more to remember than the young ones."

She also paid tribute to Ann Rawlings, who put the exhibition together with helpers from the society.

Down the road, on the school playing fields, around 30 trees were planted on Monday morning as part of the Suckley Fun Day.

As well as playing football and taking part in space hopper races and pony rides, local children were invited to help plant oak, ash and hazel trees in commemoration of the Golden Jubilee, to which their names were then attached.

Rachel Morris, who had the idea for the planting, said it was something that had struck her as being easy to organise and carry out, while fellow organiser John Hammonds said he hoped the children's "ownership" of the trees would protect them from vandalism. He also paid tribute to the work of Edward Holloway and Harold Cooper on the project.

Elsewhere, children enjoyed bouncy castles and pony rides and organiser Katie Holloway said more people had turned up than expected.

She said: "I think we've had a really good turnout and the weather's held off, which has been the main thing. I'm really pleased."