'I held Ladies Day in my back garden for 40 years'

This year the party is for Paula Gamester's mum and her friends

A woman who missed a train to Ladies Day at Royal Ascot in 1982 and held a garden party at her Lancashire home instead has turned the "joyful" gathering into an annual tradition.

Paula Gamester from Skelmersdale said missing the trip had been devastating for her and her friends, who were "all dolled up in our finery", and one of their group had "started crying because she'd been so excited".

"Undeterred, I invited everyone back to my garden, we popped the champagne, ran our own book and gave the proceeds to charity," she said.

Her alternative Ladies Day tradition has continued for the past 40 years, and grown to the point she even hired Aintree Racecourse for more than 500 women.

Paula Gamester (left) said the event had "brought lots of joy to women across Lancashire and Merseyside"

"We had a wonderful time in my garden that first year," Ms Gamester told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"We went to Royal Ascot the following year and everybody said to me 'Paula it was better in your garden, we had a better time' and that was how it all started.

"The following year, I just invited everybody back and it's just grown."

The Thursday of the Royal Meeting at the Berkshire racecourse when the Gold Cup is held has been known as Ladies Day since about 1823, when an anonymous poet described "Ladies Day… when the women, like angels, look sweetly divine".

About 270,000 people are expected to attend, with a strict dress code allowing racegoers to flaunt their finery.

Ms Gamester said her own party eventully got too big for the garden and moved to the local church "then that became too small and we ended up hiring Aintree Racecourse".

"We had a look-a-like Prince Charles and it was just great fun. We've used Aintree for many years now and generated income for Alder Hey Children's Hospital."

The parties have been held as a Ladies Day alternative for the past 40 years

This year, Ms Gamester's Ladies Day is returning to her back garden in West Lancashire.

Her 92-year-old mum recently underwent surgery for a heart condition, so all the money raised from the latest event will go to the British Heart Foundation.

She said her mother " just loves coming along, so this year is a special one for my mum and all of her friends."

"She is a character," she said. "We call her The Duchess. She is an inspiration.

"There will be about 25 women all done up to the nines.

"It's brought lots of joy to women across Lancashire and Merseyside."