It wasn’t his erudite wit or persuasive charm that had a host of civic dignitaries lining up to hear Cambs Times news editor John Elworthy at his latest public outpouring…

On this occasion it was his skill as a bingo caller that a group of Fenland and Cambridgeshire VIPs had come to hear.

John, well known for his extracurricular activities in the bingo halls of East Anglia, had organised a charity ‘ bingo and bangers’ night in aid of the Mayor of March’s annual charity.

And during a special fund raiser he helped raise £530 for the Mayor’s annual charity campaign.

John with some of the dignitaries

“It was certainly a different sort of evening,” said John, who arrived at the venue complete with RNG (random number generator), and clutching a wad of tickets which he duly sold to the Mayor’s guests.

“It was amazing how many of the guests, more used to the corridors of local power, had a soft spot for bingo,” said John.

“One visiting mayor even confessed he had met his wife, some 40 years ago, at a seaside bingo hall in Great Yarmouth!”

John added: “The evening wasn’t all plain sailing. Quite a few of the guests either hadn’t played recently or had forgotten the rules. I explained there were few rules but the game was guided by a certain etiquette.

“I’m not sure even then if anyone quite understood- but it was a brilliant bit of Fenland nonsense.”