In 1968, a group of new students met up at UCW Aberystwyth, or the University College of Wales Aberystwyth, as it was known then.

This September, the group decided to meet up again in the seaside town, for a special reunion of friends.

Seven men in total, all now retired, made the reunion weekend which took place from Sunday, 30 September, to Tuesday, 2 October.

Peter Jones from Oldham, one of those friends, said the group had a great time, despite their appearance in the reunion photograph.

“We nearly all look rather sad, as this has become a tradition,” Peter explained.

“We had a really good time, and a good couple of days in Aber.

“We talked about important issues of the day, and had a pint or two as well. The important issues included the numbers of our rooms in Cwrt Mawr, and whether there were two pubs or three pubs between the old Union and Pier Street in 1969. And the pre-metric price of a hand-pulled pint.”

Looking back at a photograph of the group from the 1970s, Peter said: “It was taken in the kitchen of our block at Cwrt Mawr, June 1971 by Sue Cole, as was, and shows 11 lads. Sadly two have died, one did not come and another wants no publicity.”

See this week’s south papers for the full story, available in shops and as a digital edition now