Five out of nine nurses who began their careers together at Lord Mayor Treloar Hospital on September 3, 1973, met 50 years to the day at the French Horn in Alton for their latest ten-year reunion.

Sylvia Kimber-Sweatman said: “We had a meal that lasted for four and a half hours, just catching up and reminiscing. Chris Gallagher came from Yorkshire, Cheryl Watson from Cambridge, Janet James from north Devon, me from Hamble and Lorraine Troughton from New Zealand. Jennie Dixon was on a motorbike trip from Alaska to Patagonia!

"We ended with photos outside in the glorious sunshine and Lorraine read a poem written in 1974 by her late brother Rex for the Christmas review at Treloar’s.”