VINTAGE lovers united for the third annual fair at the MECA with throngs of stalls and local bands giving the arena a flavour of nostalgia.

Boasting a '50s style tea room, second-hand sales from the by-gone eras, and plenty of music throughout the event on Saturday, organisers hope to raise hundreds of pounds for two local charities.

Supporting Swindon SANDS; the still-birth and neonatal charity, and children's cancer and leukaemia charity CALM, host Erica Fowers said the event had been 'the best one to date'.

Launched three years ago, the Vintage Fair was born from Erica's passion for all things vintage. Along with her husband she already teaches the Lindsay Hop and puts on re-enactments with a group of friends, the Blitz Buddies.

Erica said there has been a resurgence in interest in vintage recently, spurred on by the World War centenary and the new Suffragettes film.

Every year I always say I'm never going to do it again because it is such hard work, but it is a wonderful day," she said.

"We have been into the 40s and 50s for quite a few years and we got invited to quite a lot more events.

"It has been absolutely quality, and there has always been that sub culture there.

"There is definitely a resurgence, because there is so much going on with the amount of events out there. I think there is an increased nostalgia and acceptance. Especially with all the stuff going on linking into the World Wars and the centenary recently, that has helped peak the interest.

"People are acknowledging all the work done back then, and you have a new interest in the women at war and the Suffragettes, which people will want to find out more about.

"There is also that bit of glamour in the '50s culture that people seem to love."

The MECA put on a host of stalls with clothes and kitsch bric-a-brac, with one stall-holder even erecting a full size double-bed.

"It is run in conjunction with Swindon MECA, who do a brilliant job," Erica added. "It is the third year we have run it, and all profits go to charity, which this year will be SANDS and CALM.

"There is usually some connection with the charity we choose. The first year we did it for the Rotary and linked in with them. The year before that it was Scotty's Little Soldiers, because my nephew is in the army, and I thought I wanted to help out.

"I have got a few friends I know who have unfortunately had still-born births, so I was keen to do something for SANDS.

"Lots of those who put on the stalls are local, I would say about 60 per cent from Swindon and the surrounding areas," Erica added. "That goes to show how much interest in vintage there is going on in the town.

"We also had a vintage tea room, and DJ UXB who travelled all the way from Leicester. There were two great bands from Swindon; the 58 Shakes and Young Vintage, which features Charlie-Ann Bradford, who were just amazing.

"Everybody was up and dancing, and thankfully eating lots of cake, because all the profits are going right to the two charities.

"The MECA did an amazing job, and produced all the leaflets free of charge and did all the promotion. I just love the place because it feels like a bit of a Tardis, and is like two worlds. You open the door and people are hit with the size of the area.

"In the evening we had Park Lane Big Band, who we have every year because they are just fabulous."

While counting the proceeds is still taking place, Erica imagines hundreds of pounds will be in the pot for her two charities.

"In previous years we didn't have music during the day, but this year we had 300 through the door just in the daytime, at £2 a go, so that is £600 for the charities right there," she said.