A CHANCE meeting at a West Somerset funeral led to a remarkable reunion of four ex-National Servicemen all in their 90s, who share the same birthday month.

The quartet now meet up once a week for coffee in Minehead’s Aurora Foxes Hotel and over the years have been joined by other not-quite-so-old colleagues.

The 90-year-olds, John Lethaby, Mike Floyd, Peter Wrigley, and Charlie Atkins, found they all had birthdays in March and so opted to call their group the ‘March Hares’.

They all did National Service in 1954 but later drifted apart as they went their separate ways.

Then, about 11 years ago John and Charlie found themselves at the same funeral service and agreed to have a coffee together to reminisce.

John said: “We both recognised each other from 60 years ago.

“Charlie’s first words to me were ‘where’s that 7s 6d you owe me?’

“After that, we decided to have a coffee in what was Butterflies, in Minehead.”

They were later joined by Mike and Peter, and gradually Pete Rossiter, Julian Wilford, Richard Bowditch, and David Veale also joined the ‘March Hares’ club.

John said: “To join the group, you must have a sense of humour and must wear your badge.

“If you do not wear the badge you will need to pay a 50p fine which goes toward the Foxes garden fund.

“The students have started a garden so we help them to buy tools and seeds and things.

“Sometimes, we beak out into song, and the students join in, it is great fun.”

John said there was incredible camaraderie among the ex-Servicemen, who occasionally also visit other places, such as the Rocking Horse Cafe, in Stogumber.

He said: “We just enjoy coming together and sharing each other’s company.

“We talk about the old times, but really, we can talk about anything.”