The Ashburton U3A, launched earlier this year, held its first social get together with a game of crolf at the Lavender House Hotel on the edge of town.

Some 50 members enjoyed the new ball game, invented by Holne farrier Robbie Carwithen Richardson, which is played with croquet mallets but in the manner of golf, hence crolf.

Mr Richardson was on hand to offer some guidance to the novice players who, afterwards, enjoyed a cream tea and a glass or two of Pimms as the Moor Raucous Orchestra played on.