The decision over whether to disaffiliate a social club from the Royal British Legion will be left to its members.

It comes after the Beccles RBL Social Club unanimously voted in approval of a ballot being held.

More than 50 members attended last night's AGM meeting to vote on the motion.

The aim is to now put a ballot out as soon as convenient by July for the club's 170 paying membership to vote on.

The club's president Hugh Taylor said: 'The point was clearly made by members of the committee as well as by a number of speakers from the floor that, if it disaffiliates, the club will remain closely associated with the RBL and will continue to offer its facilities to ex-service organisations and groups.

'The meeting was well-organised and informative, and I congratulate the officers of the club, the committee and the members present for their openness, willingness to listen and determination to set the Club on a sound footing for the future.'

The social club was opened in February 1980 after the idea was first brought up at a RBL branch meeting in April 1978.

Originally there were more than 300 members who were all ex-servicemen and women.

In the mid-1990s clubs were not allowed to have a two tier membership, which meant non-service people over the age of 18 to become full members with voting rights and permitted to sit on committees.

Currently to join the club, members have to pay £17 to join the RBL and £5 on top to join the club.

Club president Brian Wilson previously said the only change if the disaffiliation was go ahead, was that people would no longer have to pay the RBL fee.

Following the meeting he said: 'It was a good natured meeting. There was a unanimous decision and we had two or three people stand up to speak and said it would be a good move.

'It has been a tough time for the club, it won't be a quick move but now we've got to wait for the members to vote on the ballot.'