The free checks were being offered by Swaffham Rotarians and the Stroke Association as part of a national initiative to help combat high blood pressure, the single biggest risk factor for strokes.

It was the fourth year running that the organisations had worked in partnership to hold a Stroke Awareness Day and local organisers were delighted with the take-up for the blood pressure measuring between 9am and 3pm.

John Wallace, from Swaffham Rotary Club, said that about 63 per cent of the checks showed normal readings – but five people were told to seek an urgent appointment with their doctor because of their high readings.

The remainder were advised to make an appointment with their doctor at the first opportunity for further checks because of their raised blood pressure levels.

"That made it very worthwhile from our perspective," Mr Wallace said. "We had a few more people call in this year, but the results were similar to last year."

Current and former nurses carried out the pressure checks in two cubicles set up in the Assembly Rooms foyer, while nine members of Swaffham Rotary Club helped with the paperwork and organisation, on a rota basis, throughout the day.

Mr Wallace said that each year more than 150,000 people across the UK suffer strokes, which were one of the top three causes of death and the single largest cause of adult disability.