Avid golfers from all over East Anglia and London were gathering on the Suffolk Norfolk border for an annual charity golf day.

The event, held at Thetford Golf Club, attracted over 250 people in teams of four with money raised in aid of the Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds.

Over the years since it was first held in 2012 more than £75,000 has been raised for the theatre and this year it’s hoped a further £6,000 will be added to the total.

In the first three hours since the day started over £1,000 was already raised with the sale of raffle tickets alone.

Organised by Ian Duncan, director of news website suffolkvillage.info there were over 10 teams taking part from Clacton Golf Club with the first team of the day from Feltwell teeing off at 7.15am and the final one due at 3pm, a foursome from housebuilder Taylor Wimpey.

There were other teams from businesses including Greene King, Lovewell Blake and Chassis Cab who were among the 252 golfers taking part and included a team of Ipswich Town legends Bryan Hamilton, Paul Goddard, John Peddelty and George Williams.

Golfers came from Great Yarmouth, Newmarket, Bury St Edmunds, Stowmarket, Ipswich, Colchester, Woodbridge, Thorpeness, Haverhill, Diss, Braintree, Bishop Stortford and London and a huge array of prizes were on offer donated by Greene King who also set up a half way house on the course by the brewery.

Some of the prizes at the annual Theatre Royal Golf Day held at Thetford Golf Club. Photo: Russell Cook.

Competitions were held throughout the day including a nine hole putting contest, nearest the pin on the third and 16th holes, beat the professional on the 11th hole, and longest drive for men and women on the 14th hole.

Emma Suckling, the head of Development at Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds, said: “We are so grateful to Ian for organising this fantastic golf day at Thetford Golf Club.

“It raises vital funding for Theatre Royal, enabling us to continue our work in the community.

“In addition, over 20 per cent of our core income comes from fundraising, so events like this are absolutely crucial.”