A rugby club celebrated 150 years with 500 people taking part in a series of games and events last weekend.

England rugby player and Wimbledon RFC coach Nick Easter was on hand to give out prizes at the club’s 150th anniversary events on Saturday, May 9.

Wimbledon Times:

A youngster enjoys the inflatables on the day

The first recorded game was played on Boxing Day 1865 against Richmond Rugby Club and was reported in the Wimbledon Guardian’s sister newspaper the Surrey Comet.

At that time, the team were called the Wimbledon Hornets.

Wimbledon Times:

According to the club, in 1871, its captain Leonard James Maton represented Wimbledon at a meeting of 19 rugby clubs and later wrote the first rules of rugby from his house in Homefield Road, Wimbledon.

He went on to be the third president of the RFU.

The club has enjoyed a rich and varied history and used to play on Wimbledon Common until the First World War.

Wimbledon Times:

The giant rugby ball bucking broncho was popular

Players used the Rose and Crown pub as changing rooms and a base before suspending the club during the war years and re-forming in 1927.

More recently, the club moved to its current home in Beverley Meads on the border with Raynes Park, in 1987 and the ladies club was started for the 1990/1991 season.

Former and current players got together for commemorative matches at the event on Saturday, May 9 which featured live music and refreshments.

Anna Yeardley, Wimbledon RFC committee member, said: "It was a long day but a lot of fun.

"It was like a festival atmosphere.

"We held games all day and then had a party in the evening, it was a festival of rugby."

The club will host a black tie ball on September 12 as part of the anniversary celebrations this year.