It may not have the 'cool' image of the guitar but in Beccles the ukulele is the instrument of choice.

So much so that a shop selling them has opened up in the town and a ukulele group has become so popular that the organiser is thinking of starting another.

'The Beccles U3A Ukulele group has just gone crazy,' said Brian Lever, who runs the group and also owns ukulele and children's shoes and clothing shop Rumpus on Blyburgate.

'I didn't expect it to be so popular. I expected at best 12 people but we have 28. And I have people asking if another can be set up because they can't make the Tuesday group.'

Mr Lever, from Ringsfield, has only been playing the instrument himself a couple of years after tuning one for his young granddaughter. And has said the reason why it is so popular is because it is an easy instrument to play.

The 66-year-old said: 'You don't need to be able to read music you can just learn the cords and that's what makes sit so simple. It makes it a great instrument for beginners and for children and its not expensive.

'You can play an awful lot with little experience with a ukulele and it's such a social instrument because you can play it and have a sing-a-long.'

The group, which is held on Tuesdays from 1.30pm to 3pm at the St John's Ambulance Hall, has been running since February and Mr Lever said it is an instrument which can give people a confidence boost.

He said: 'They key thing is enjoyment and it's a good laugh and that's what it's all about. Everyone who started were beginners and within four weeks everyone is ready to go out and perform.

'Because you do it in a group if someone goes wrong, it doesn't matter and that gives confidence to people.

'The U3A is for people of retirement age but the demand is there for an evening group open to everyone. We perform anything from George Formby to One Direction.'

For more information about Brian Lever's ukulele group, call him on 07711591604 or email brianlever@hotmail.com.