More than 100 people packed into a Croxley Green church to celebrate a Repton Way man’s 50 anniversary as captain of the Boys Brigade.

Colin Abbiss, who was born in Croxley Green in 1939, took over as the Boys Brigade captain in 1965 after he returned from national service in the RAF.

Senior figures at Croxley Green Baptist Church organised a surprise parade service to celebrate and thank the 76-year-old's fifty years of service with the Boys Brigade.

More than 100 people gathered in the Baldwins Lane church for the service – including the 76-year-old’s family, who came to join the celebrations.

Mr Abbiss's son Matt, 43, said: “He always attended the boys brigade and was a regular at the Baptist church, where he met my mum.

“My dad was captain but they ran the Boys Brigade companies together, organising camps, competitions, dinners and endless activities on a Wednesday night.

“It was a really nice day and great to see so many old faces.

“As suspected lots of Boys Brigade members from the past were there. It was quite a turnout as there was also the retirement of the current Girls Brigade who had been in the role for twenty years.”

The pair also moved to South Africa in 2005, where they worked alongside a South African Boys Brigade company.

His son added: “These companies are more for homeless kids in care, so it was hard work but they loved it.

“They came back to Croxley and the Boys Brigade and my dad took up a job as a handyman with a charity for recovering alcoholics and drug addicts until he retired again earlier this year.

“Of course, they have always been talking about going back to South Africa one day.”