The group had pledged to meet again on January 1 2000 at "what ever building is the civic headquarters of Dagenham", as long ago as 1938.

After meeting on the steps of the Civic Centre, the pipers past and present attended a service at Dagenham Congregational Church in Osbourne Square which is where the pipers originally formed.

Visitors came from as far afield at the USA for the big event with emotional reunions between friends who hadn't seen each other for 60 years.