ORGANISERS of Seend Fete had a week of sleepless nights about the weather but they need not have worried as Saturday afternoon was dry and bright.

By the time hundreds of people gathered on the Lye Field just before 1pm for the judging of the fancy dress competition the sun was out.

Committee member Zoe McMillan said: “It was a huge success and the weather was much better than we feared it was going to be.

“We haven’t got definite figures yet for how many people attended but we think it was more than last year.”

For the second year running the fete had a vintage theme which proved popular. Ms McMillan said: “It went down very well last year so we decided to repeat it this time and we had an excellent turn out for all things vintage.”

Helping with the theme was rock n roll singer Betsy Harmony, who went to university with Ms McMillan and made time in a national tour to appear at Seend following her success at last year’s fete. A number of people arrived in vintage vehicles and there was also a photo booth with vintage props and film track running behind it.

Dancing dogs from Swindon were also a big hit. Ms McMillan said: “Everyone loved them and the dog show was also popular, especially a musical sit class which was very funny as when the music stopped the dogs had to rush to a mat and sit.”

The Seend Flower Show held on the same da yproved a success despite the poor weather affecting the number of entries.

Di Webb, whose father George Noad started the show 67 years ago and has been exhibiting since she was aged eight was a winner with her gladioli.

She was a committee member for 33 years but stood down before this year’s show.

Chairman Brian Jacques has also resigned and Mrs Webb said the group was badly in need of younger people to join the committee.