AN exhibition is celebrating 100 years of youth culture in Clacton.

The Growing Up in Clacton exhibition, based in Central Parade, Rosemary Road, features more than 100 photographs, memorabilia and films of youth culture over the past 100 years.

Over the past four months, the Museum of Youth Culture has been meeting people of all ages in cafes, pubs, markets and clubs across the district, to collect memories and photographs of being young.

A spokesman said: "Being a teenager, wherever you are, is a time for new experiences, self discovery, and growing independence.

"People have shared with us their first loves, first motorbikes and cars, and apprenticeships and Saturday jobs.

"We have heard about youthful adventures, passions and creative endeavours, enduring friendships, family ties and strong community spirit.

"Unique to Clacton, we have discovered that teenagers here have had access to amazing new music, the local juke boxes were filled with imported records, venues like the Town Hall hosted iconic bands and international DJs played at Clacton Pier, the pirate radio stations broadcast off the coast, and rockstars captivated audiences at Weeley Festival.

"Peopel had space and freedom to explore the piers and amusements, and roam the wide open fields, beaches and coastline.

"The summer brought holidaymakers, new fashion and styles, the carnival and seasonal jobs.

"In the winter months you hung out at Butlins social club, participated in youth theatre and danced at the clubs.

"All these photos and memories will live on in the Museum of Youth Culture and add to a photography archive of over 150,000 images by over 400 professional photographers."

The Museum of Youth Culture is a non-profit group working to preserve, share and celebrate youth culture heritage to inspire future generations.

Grown Up in Clacton was the first stop in its Grown Up in Britain campaign, a national project to find out from the public what it was like to be a teenager over the last 100 years and to ensure that our collections are representative of the UK's diverse youth culture.

The exhibition, which runs until March 5, is open Tuesdays to Sundays from 12noon to 4pm.

For more information, go to museumofyouthculture.com.