A sell-out crowd of 600 clubbers enjoyed a blast from the past at the reunion of a Sheppey nightclub.

Former Leysdown venue Stage 3 used to be a major attraction for lovers of jazz, funk and soul music in the late seventies and early eighties.

Founded by Robert and Mark Wilson in 1979, it took influences for its lighting and sound from famous New York haunts like Studio 54 and Paradise Garage.

World famous DJs including Tim Westwood and Pete Tong used to perform sets there, but it was forced to close after a fire in September 1989.

A selection of guest DJs from back in the day rolled back the years for its 35th anniversary at Merlins Entertainment Complex in Leysdown Road on Saturday.

Thomas Felton, Stage 3’s original resident DJ was the master of ceremonies, along with special guests Colin Hudd, Aadil Rasheed, Tony Norris, Terry Brown, Gary Croucher and Theo Loyla, who used to run Gatefield Sounds record shop in Sheerness.

There was also a jazz room, featuring plate spinners Perry Lewis and Jazz Man Dean Moore.

Singer Paul Hardcastle also put in an appearance.

Mr Felton’s mum Shirley used to stamp the back of clubbers’ hands so they could get in and out at the former Stage 3 and she was back on door duty on Saturday.

Before the music started, a crowd went down the road on a pilgrimage to the site of the old club, which is now derelict and behind locked gates.

Mr Felton called the night “off the radar”.

He said: “I didn’t think we could reach those sort of numbers at this time of year. People came from far and wide and it was just overwhelming, you can’t even measure that sort of response.”