A PLAQUE marking 50 years since the Beatles played at New Brighton’s former Tower Ballroom has been unveiled by Sam Leach, the man who brought the famous band to the venue.

The Beatles played at the venue 27 times and even performed to their largest audience in mainland Britain there during their early days.

Doug Darroch, curator of the Merseybeat Museum at Fort Perch Rock, said the event had “exceeded all our expectations”.

Mr Darroch added: “We had people from all over the country come along, and it’s been a great day all round.

“It was very successful. Sam Leach, who first brought the Beatles to the Tower Ballroom was here, and it was good to see him unveil the plaque.”

The unveiling was part of events to mark 50 years since the first Beatles show at the New Brighton venue on November 10 1961, when Sam Leach first presented the band, followed by a second show two weeks later on November 24 which is a UK mainland attendance record for a Beatles show, estimated by Mr Darroch at 4,500.

The day also included a “Merseybeat” tour of New Brighton led by Beatles historian Ray O’Brien and attended by around 70 people.