FAMILIES from all over the town visited Lower Shaw Farm to be entertained by storytellers, workshops and the circus.

As part of Swindon Festival of Literature 2018, a children and families day was held, with campfire storytelling with John Row.

The campfire wasn’t the only thing keeping people warm as his stories had crowds throughout the day energised and laughing

In the afternoon there were performance workshops run by Darine and Jacob, who had groups of people pretending to be horses, then learning to hula hoop and juggle.

There were plenty of animals on site, with a family of ducks greeting people coming into the farm, and a host of activities ongoing including a treasure hunt and writing time and a printmaking workshop.

There was also a barn which had been converted into a play rope swing park - complete with hammock jumping and dangling rope horses - that seemed to be a top attraction on the day.

Waterstones was invited and supplied a mini book stall.

Matt Holland, who owns the farm and is the organiser of the Swindon Festival of Literature, said: “When we bought the farm, we were expected to have to knock the buildings around the house down, but I could see the potential those buildings had and instead we made the most out of the space.

“The whole point of today is not about the rock star image with noise and showing off, it is about interacting with others, speaking but most importantly listening which are three fundamentals of what the festival is all about.”