A social club in Filton has beaten competition from 15,000 others across the UK to be named club of the year.

BAWA Healthcare and Leisure, on Southmead Road in Filton, picked up the "King of Clubs" awards, given to the best club in England, Scotland or Wales at the Club Mirror awards.

Manager Alex Clark, was also named club manager of the year and received a second award when he was inducted as a fellow of the Club Mirror Industry Board in recognition of his 26 years service.

The awards are organised by Club Mirror, the social and entertainment club trade magazine, to recognise the contributions its members make to the industry.

The event, held in Manchester and hosted by TV presenter Clare Balding, attracted entrants from working men's clubs, Labour and Conservative clubs and sport and leisure clubs from all over the UK.

BAWA, which was formed more than 70 years ago by Bristol's aerospace workers, was nominated in its two categories after the editor of Club Mirror visited earlier this year.

Mr Clark, 54, lives in a house in the grounds behind the BAWA club.

He grew up in the industry, as his father ran a working men's club in Doncaster, and moved to Bristol with his wife Betty to work at BAWA.

He said: "I saw the job in a national trade magazine, and it was for the position of 'club steward, with wife to assist'. You wouldn't get that these days."

Today Betty is BAWA's customer service manager, their daughter Louise works part-time behind the bar, and their son Alexander is a front of house manager.

Speaking about the moment he heard of the nominations for BAWA, Mr Clark said: "There was a certain amount of pride, especially for the staff who have been here a long time and have worked hard to get us where we are today."

And he said he was "gobsmacked" to win the awards on the night – two of which he didn't know even existed.

Mr Clark said: "We were shocked to say the least. To be named club of the year was amazing. There are 15,000 clubs in the country, and so many of them are brilliant for different types of things.

"It is an excellent motivational thing for the staff. A lot of people have helped us in the past to get where we are, and it is a thank-you to all of them as well.

"Many of our current staff have been here more than 20 years, and that really helps maintain standards.

"These awards are a great reward for everyone who has had a positive input into the club's cause."

BAWA chairman, Jim Bishop, was delighted that the club had been recognised on a national level.

He said: "I would like to congratulate Alex for his personal achievements, and thank him, his wife Betty and all the staff at BAWA for making it the club of the year."

The BAWA club was started in 1938 by the Bristol Aerospace Company Welfare Association to provide services and social activities for employees of the Bristol Aeroplane Company.

The original members sent out food parcels to workers who were called up to serve in th Armed Forces during the Second World War.

In 1973 the association changed its name to become the Bristol Aerospace Welfare Association, and BAWA was born.

The club now has more than 9,000 members, many of whom are staff at Rolls-Royce, Airbus and BAE Systems.

BAWA has conference rooms and leisure facilities, including five bars, a fitness suite and squash courts, and 30 acres of fields used for rugby, football, cricket and tennis.

The club itself gives about £8,000 a year to various charities, and the staff themselves have donated more than £30,000 to Riding for the Disabled in Lawrence Weston over the last five years.