CELEBRITIES were out in force in Southampton last night for a glitzy birthday bash.

Hollywood film bosses and celebs including TV veteran Esther Rantzen and Hampshire Olympic diver Pete Waterfield were among the 350 guests to walk down the red carpet at a special pre-release showing of The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.

The screening of the hotly awaited sequel to The Best Marigold Hotel was held as part of the Rotary Red Carpet Gala in celebration of the organisation’s 110th birthday.

Set in Jaipur, India, the film is about a handful of aged Brits who have chosen to live out their autumn years in a country where pensioners are respected and revered.

Guests were welcomed at the University of Southampton’s Student Union by colourful tuktuks and Bollywood dancing, with performers including Kavita Bansal, 22, from Lordswood, Bollywood teacher Pooja Rajgoro, 23, from West End, and University of Southampton students Saritha Choudhry and Dilini Seneviratne.

The event, organised by Southampton educational charity Damaris, raised hundreds for Age UK Southampton and Rotary Wessex who will use it to take isolated older people to see the film after it opens in cinemas on February 26.