Players old and new got together at the weekend to mark the 70th anniversary of Medway Netball League.

Games are played every week at Rainham School for Girls in Derwent Way, and that was the venue for Saturday’s celebration.

A rally for juniors was held in the morning followed by a demonstration of walking netball, and then another rally for adults in the afternoon.

Winners of the junior section were Crystals with Topaz in second place.

In the senior section, Stars won one group with Macklins Summer coming runners-up while Mavericks won a second group with Inferno in second place.

Between the two was a demonstration of walking netball, a version of the game which is slower but no less skilful which some younger players discovered when they tried it for the first time against a team of former MNL players who now play the game.

A celebratory cake was also shared, and there was the chance to browse newspaper cuttings charting the history of the league.

Medway Netball League was founded by the late Pam Woolmer, from Borstal, in 1954. From just a handful of players, it grew to support a huge number of clubs with many of those original players seeing their daughters and granddaughters take up the sport.

Speaking in 2015, she recalled those early days. “I just wanted a game,” she said. “I didn’t care about anybody else, I didn’t think of it in terms of leagues and numbers, I just wanted to play.

“I sat down one day and wrote letters to all the shops and businesses in the Medway Towns and Maidstone, asking if people wanted to get involved.”

Pam’s daughter, Janet Waddington, has also played netball for many years and is a life president of the league. She was at the rally playing and also cut the celebration cake.

Another life president, Nikki White, said: “It was lovely to see so many netball players come together and still playing the game Pam loved. I know she would have been thrilled to see the league as strong today as it ever was.”

If you’re interested in playing netball in Medway, log onto medwaynetballleague.co.uk/

Players of all abilities are welcome and there are Back to Netball sessions held weekly for those looking to get some coaching and build their confidence.

If you are interested in walking netball, players meet at King's Rochester Sports Centre in Maidstone Road on Mondays at 10am.