Saturday's baking hot conditions helped make this year’s Shaw May Fair the most successful ever, with record numbers enjoying the fun.

The biannual celebration took place at The Beeches playing field, where all the usual stalls and attractions were joined by ponies from Mountjoy Stables.

Organiser Geoff Williams said: “It went very successfully, with a lot of thanks due to the weather.

“We introduced pony rides for the first time this year, and they were massively successful.

“It was like an instant queue, with children wanting to go on for a second or third time.

“The Melksham Town Under-6s’ round robin tournament was really good as well. They played for two hours in that heat, they were so enthusiastic, they would have played all afternoon if they could.

“Corsham Wind Band played a couple of sets, and that was well received, and we had all the other fun of the fair, with a coconut shy, plate smashing and a bouncy castle.

“We probably had about 250-300 people come along, which I would say is better than last time – the figures were up.”

The event also saw the running of the annual 10k Shaw Stampede take place, as well as the 2k Keane Kanter, in memory of seven-year-old Keane Meyers, from Lacock, who died of non-Hodgkins lymphoblastic lymphoma in 2009. Mr Williams said: “In these conditions the times were slow, and the heat caught a few people out.

“It was very hot and it showed, as it was quite hard-going, and an achievement to finish.

“There weren’t many running back from the Kanter in that weather, a lot of them were just walking round, but there were quite good numbers, somewhere between 30 and 40 children.”

The festivities raised over £5,000, which will be put towards refurbishments for Shaw Village Hall, including new changing facilities for the local football clubs.

Mr Williams said: “It’s about getting the community together, that’s what is most important.

“The hall is not there to make a profit. What I was hoping to see was some sort of community spirit, and it’s good to see that we achieved that.”