And now a town's museum is set to reopen and unveil an exciting new postcard exhibit at the same time.

Beccles and District Museum will open with a new display celebrating a remarkable local couple whose passion for postcards raised more than £122,000 for charity.

The postcards were collected over decades by Michael and Sylvia Porter to raise money for charity and will feature in the new exhibition, alongside newspaper articles, to celebrate their achievement.

Beccles and District Museum, on Ballygate in Beccles will reopen on April 1 (Image: Alan Smith)

The couple bequeathed 1,600 postcards relating to the town, which have now been digitised and accessible on the museum's in-house computer system.

Museum curator Allan Smith said the display recognises the scale and the impact of the couple's fundraising efforts.

Mr Smith said: "In the 1970s, Mr and Mrs Porter organised local dog shows where the monies raised were donated to the Dell community facility, helping to provide items such as outdoor furniture."

The way it was. A postcard picture of London Road in Beccles. The town Michael and Sylvia Porter loved so much (Image: Newsquest archive)

He said their postcard collection eventually led to the publication of Beccles and Bungay: A Portrait in Old Picture Postcards.

The royalties from the book were donated and split equally between The Friends of Beccles & District War Memorial Hospital and The Friends of All Hallows Hospital, Ditchingham.

Mr Smith continued: "By far the greatest campaign they organised was a one raising money for the Norfolk Deaf Children's Society.

Sylvia and Michael Porter with their Local Volunteer Award from the Norfolk Deaf Children’s (Image: Newsquest)

"In the 1980s they decided to approve the Eastern Daily Press group to ask for their help in getting their readership to donate postcards.

"This proved to be enormously successful, and Michael and Sylvia made weekly collections from the Norwich offices of the publishers."

A special bowl awarded to Michael and Sylvia from the Norfolk Deaf Children's Society will form part of the display (Image: Alan Smith)

The museum reopens on April 1 and will be open every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 1:45pm to 4:30pm until the end of October.

Beccles and District Museum is a voluntary run Arts Council accredited museum which is free to enter.

Locals who have any information about videos Mr Porter recorded of local events during the 1990s are encouraged to contact the museum via becclesmuseumcurator@gmail.com.

© Eastern Daily Press