LARGE crowds turned out for the Seend Fete and Flower Show.

Organisers said it was one of the best in recent years, with people coming from all over to enjoy traditional village fun on Saturday.

Fete chairman Fiona Johnson said: “It was a fantastic day. We had an amazing number of people attend.

“The crowds were huge and they kept coming all day. We had about the same as last year, which was 2,000.

“There was a lovely feel to the day, a village event feel, and lots of people came from outside the village, which is nice and puts Seend on the map.”

Fete volunteers were slightly concerned in the morning, when they were setting up stalls in drizzle, but rain had stopped when the fete started at 12.30pm and conditions stayed dry.

Fete princess Lottie Checkley, 11, and attendants Lily Stegall, seven, and Poppy Nichols, five, led the procession of floats and people in fancy dress along High Street to Lye Field.

They travelled in style, in a Bentley car driven by local resident Freddie Giles.

Entertainment included Mr Snuffy’s Punch and Judy show and a performance by youngsters from the Wiltshire School of Gymnasts. There was a flying display of falcons and eagle owls and music from the Shrewton Silver Band. The Bell Inn team won a tug of war contest against the Brewery Inn.

Mrs Johnson said: “The displays were lovely. It was touch and go whether the gymnasts would be there, because the grass was slippery in the morning, but they put on a fantastic display.

“The Shrewton Silver Band played merrily all afternoon. The stalls had very good takings and we think it could be a record amount of money taken at the fete.”

Money raised will help pay for the care and maintenance of the Lye Field and Irene Usher Pavilion in Seend.

Flower show secretary Colin Carr said entries were up on last year, at more than 600, and were seen by about 500 visitors.

FLOAT VOTES Winners of floats and fancy dress competitions at the Seend Fete: -Best decorated vehicles Winner: Fireman Sam, Underwood family -Best children’s floats Winner: Seend Playgroup -Best fancy dressed pedestrians Winner: Seend Fawlty Players (pictured right) 2nd: Doreen Munroe.

-Best children’s fancy dress Winner: Pippi Longstocking, Ronja Galloway 2nd: Harry Potter, Magnus Galloway -Best dressed stall Winner: The Bygones