More than 60 people joined a special celebration to mark the 40 birthday of a popular theatre in Rickmansworth twelve years after it was earmarked for closure.

Stars including Jess Conrad, Shane Ritchie, Linda Robson and Jonathan Ansell are among the stars who have performed at Watersmeet, High Street, over the years.

To celebrate the special occasion, Watersmeet hosted a special coffee morning on Friday, October 16 to thank the Friends of Watersmeet volunteers.

Joy Thomson, committee member at the Friends of Watersmeet, started a petition to save Watersmeet after it was earmarked for closure in 2003.

She said: “ I was working part time on the box office and Paula Hiscocks (now a Conservative councillor in Rickmansworth), who was working part time on the bar at the time, noticed a single piece of A4 on a notice board saying it was going to close.

“We started a petition and in six days we got more than 6,000 signatures of people who wanted to keep it open.

“Everyone really rallied around to keep it open. We started a working volunteer group to help keep the venue open and now it is a lovely community asset. There has been a lot of work by all of us, but we think it is worth it.”

More than 60 people attended and enjoyed reminiscing about the events that had taken place over the years.

The theatre, which can be hired out, has held a variety of events including ballets and balls to weddings and graduations.