A popular bowling club member was honoured with a surprise party to celebrate half a century of membership.

John Endicott, aged 81, joined Harrow Weald Bowling Club in 1965.  He went on to serve as president of the club for seven years, captain for five and won numerous competitions including the men’s championship nine times.

Now, 50 years after he bowled his first ball, seven bowling clubs from across the borough joined club members to play a light-hearted match on Saturday, June 27.

Speaking to the Harrow Times after the event, Mr Endicott said: “It was a marvellous afternoon and a total surprise. One or two people slipped up earlier in the year asking about my 50th anniversary, but I only had hints about it.

“Bowling is one of my main hobbies, apart from gardening, although I wouldn’t say I’m a keen gardener."

Club member Rodney Gross said: “It was a brilliant day, everyone enjoyed themselves and had a good time, and John gave a good speech about his time with the club and finished on a poem he had memorised – all on bowling of course.

“We had tried to keep it a secret from him but because he is always in and out of the club he knew a bit about it.

“It was supposed to be his team versus the president’s, but we invited lots of others and he managed to play six of them and even managed to win with the highest score.”

Mr Endicott is married to Pam, who also bowls for the club.  Outside the club, he won the Harrow and District Triples in 1971 and the District Two Woods in 1990.

He literally first stumbled across the game during a walk in the park after he noticed his father-in-law, the club’s former president, playing and asked what he needed to do to sign up.

After playing for many years, he later became an umpire for several top competitions involving famous bowlers such as Tony Allcock, David Bryant and Andy Thompson, and continues to umpire for the county and district.