The Players began entertaining Malmes-bury townsfolk in 1935 and have continued without a break ever since.

In that time many changes have taken place but the group’s appeal last week for more male members brought back stories told to president June Rose, 73.

Mrs Rose, who was the first child to join the acting group in the 1950s, said the war years were also a time when men were in short supply.

She said: “Most of the young men went off to fight so it was quite a female dominated group.”

Later men working for from the radar company EK Coal Electronics, which moved to the town during the war, joined up and redressed the balance.

The Athelstan Players was set up in 1938 by a young boy Bernard Basevi, who put on magic shows, and Kathleen Besly, wife of a bank manager.

It used to raise funds for charities connected to the war, such as the Nursing Association and Hospital Reconstruction Fund.

“Sadly Mr Basevi was killed in the war in 1945 but Mrs Besly stayed on as a producer until the 1950s and it has kept running without a break ever since,” said Mrs Rose.

Mrs Rose said the shows have always been very much part of the town.

“Early on we had two shows a year which sold out,” she said.

“During the 1980s we put on performances to raise money to build our own studio. They were so popular we had people queuing round the corner and had to put on extra nights.”

Secretary Shirley Collier, remembers being taken to see an Athelstan play as a child. She said: “This was before cinema and television and it was a real treat.”

The group has performed at variety of locations around the town including the town hall, the now demolished Bremilham School and Filands School.

Successes at local drama festivals in Cheltenham and Swindon include the Harold Jolliffe One Act Play Festival in 2006, an award which they won again in 1977.

Mrs Rose said: “One of our actors Megan Mills also won the best actress award in the same festival in 1989.”

Mrs Rose said: “We have always been a very welcoming and open group which has been a good foundation.”

For more information visit www.athelstanplayers.org.