Were you at Oswestry's Victoria Rooms for the 1964 rock and roll night?

The swinging sixties saw young people across Britain take to the stage as rock and roll took off following the birth of The Beatles.

76-year-old Pant resident Roy McMahon has shared his own memories of his gigging days as part of the Wrexham formed band, The Beavers.

In 1964, the band was invited to play in a battle of the bands at Oswestry's Victoria Rooms.

With a cash prize of £100 the competition attracted the best bands from across north and mid Wales, Shropshire and the Midlands.

Roy remembered arriving with the rest of the band to discover Dave Sanderson, the music columnist of the Wrexham Evening Leader newspaper and fan of The Raynes, was among the judging panel.

The Beavers in the 1960s.

Roy said: "When we arrived we learned Dave was one of the three judged we thought that we might as well go straight home.

"However, we stayed and did our short set, after which we removed our gear from the stage.

"At that time we travelled in two cars driven by friends, rather than band members. We packed our gear into one car and the driver took it back to Wrexham. The rest of us remained to see who would come second."

However the band was in for a surprise.

Roy said: "When the announcer said "...and in second place, from Wrexham - The Raynes!" Then "in first place, from Wrexham, The Beavers who will now come on and play a few more songs" it dawned on the band they had no musical equipment.

Such was the great camaraderie between bands in the area during the 1960s that two bands offered their gear,

"The Raynes immediately said we could use theirs," said Roy. "The last group who'd performed, The Trensetts, were from Newtown and their drums were still on the stage, so we used them and The Raynes' guitars and amplifiers.

WAA charity night at the Monty Club in Newtown in memory of Gareth Morgan (Badgerman). Pic is. Playing bass guitar for The Trensetts is Gwyn Davies. RD135_2013-1

The friendships formed in the 1960s Wales and borders rock and roll scene have lasted a lifetime.

Decades later Roy visited The Philharmonic Pub in Liverpool, a popular 60s hangout for bands, and bumped into a member of the Swinging Blue Jeans.

Later Roy was introduced to rhythm guitarist Alan Lovell - who had grown up in Newtown and the pair enjoyed a conversation in Welsh.

While reminiscing about the past the two spoke of the 1964 battle of the bands in Oswestry, Alan reminded Roy he had been part of The Trensetts whose drums The Beavers had used at the Victoria Rooms so many decades ago.