More than two dozen pensioners struggled with mountains of slippery spaghetti at La Margherita restaurant in Southampton.

On January 23, 1978, 25 members of the Festival of Britain Community Association Old People’s All Day Club were invited to have lunch at the eatery in Commercial Road.

Waiter Giuseppe Pizzicato, from Naples, was on hand to offer some expert instructions on how to tackle the spaghetti.

Owner Franco Fantini told the Daily Echo: “Since I have been in Southampton, the city has been very good to me so I thought it would be nice to invite some of its old people for a meal.”

These pictures show the pensioners having a wonderful time, sipping wine, having laughs and enjoying a hearty dinner.

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