Winchester'S Guildhall hosted the 90th birthday celebrations of the Hampshire branch of the British Red Cross.

In 1909, the inaugural meeting of the branch took place at the same location, and current members used the anniversary to reflect on the dedication of their founding fathers.

Some members also dressed up in early 20th century Red Cross uniforms before tucking into a special birthday cake.

A spokesmen from the Winchester-based Red Cross said: "To celebrate 90 years helping the people of Hampshire is a real milestone for us.

"It marks 90 years of caring for the vulnerable people in our local communities, and thanks to the efforts of our volunteers we have expanded the service offered by the Hampshire branch."

She said: "We are also taking this opportunity to look forward to the new millennium and our next 90 years."

After the celebrations, David Alexander, the international director of the Red Cross, gave a lecture on the work of the organisation overseas.

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