BOXING legend Henry Cooper and TV's Ali Bastian celebrated 50 years of tenpin bowling on Monday.

The celebrities rolled golden bowling balls to mark the golden anniversary at Tenpin Ltd in Royale leisure Park, Western Avenue, Park Royal.

The retired English heavyweight champion and the Hollyoaks and The Bill actress were joined by about 20 pupils from the nearby Barbara Speake Stage School.

Mr Cooper was one of the first to celebrate tenpin bowling arriving in the UK at an event at the now demolished lanes on the site of an old ABC cinema in Stamford Hill, north London, in 1960.

He said: "It was a big event at the time, nobody really knew what it was back then. The sport's grown massively over the years and it's great to see the kids getting involved like they are today."

The day was organised by the Tenpin Bowling Proprietors Association (TBPA), a trade organisation for the sport, who chose the site in Park Royal because it is one of the biggest bowling alleys in the capital.

John Ashbridge, Chairman of the TBPA, said: "Tenpin bowling is one sport which has really stood the test of time, it really appears to be a growing trend. Everyone in the tenpin bowling industry is incredibly excited to see what the next 50 years will bring."