A SOCIAL club has allowed women equal rights for the first time in its history.

After 129 years of male supremacy, Fulledge Conservative Club, in Burnley, is allowing women to become full members instead of just associate members.

The committee gave approval to the change at a meeting last month but it has taken several weeks to change the membership system.

Women have been quick to take advantage though, with 73 former associate members becoming full members.

Treasurer Paul Coates said: "We were established in 1876 and eventually things have to move along with the times. Some people were still of the opinion that women did not belong in a club but finally the feeling has changed."

While the majority of the committee were happy to let the fairer sex enter the fray, there were still a few dissenting members.

Mr Coates added: "There were possibly three or four of the old school saying 'my wife's place is at home behind the kitchen sink' but other than that, they were more or less in favour of it.

"It's not a matter that women were not allowed in but they were not allowed as full members and to have any rights. For example, if my wife misbehaved in the club it would have been me at fault."

The treasurer says he had been asking for the move for five years after seeing how membership had been boosted at other Tory clubs in the North West.

At the Plumbe Street club, the 230 membership has now been swelled to more than 300.

And with half of the male members having partners who already go to the club, Mr Coates expects the numbers to increase further and predicts that it will have 400 members in a couple of years time.

The first female member to sign up was Thelma Bailey, 67, who has been an associate member for 29 years.

The true blue pensioner said: "I think it's brilliant. I'm glad I'm the first. I think it's a good thing as it gives women equal rights.

"Quite a lot of members have been wishing this for years. It's not just me but quite a lot in the club."

But across the road at Burnley Miners' Club, despite the venue being popular with women, they are still only allowed to be associate members through their husbands and have no voting rights.

Secretary Alan Kennedy said: "A change is not being considered at the moment but that's not to say it won't be in the future."

The Conservative club's current home was once a meeting hall for the Rechabites -- a Hebrew religious community -- but was purchased in 1876 for the sum of £450.