HUGE crowds visited Wanborough yesterday for it’s May Day Fayre.

The occasional downpour didn’t dampen spirits and the large field behind the village hall was a hive of activity.

Happy families explored what the free fayre had to offer, including several stalls and gazebos, arts and crafts, fun and games,, beer and barbecues, football matches, a bouncy castle, and a maypole.

It was the fayre’s 14th year and its organiser Mrs Lanstein was excited by the occasion.

She said: “It’s been a really good day, with a good turnout, people come from all around to visit here.

“I’m impressed by how many people are still out there even after the rain, it’s the British spirit.

“”The kids love being behind the stalls, giving out the prizes and taking the money, it helps with their confidence.”

,Mrs Lanstein was also slightly exhausted by the event as it takes a lot of planning to arrange and she’s also the Group Leader for the 1st Wanborough Scout Group.

She added: “It takes three months to organise, all of the stalls with games for the children are run by more than 100 local families, we send out 25,000 flyers to schools.

“There are also so many events with the scouts in May and June, it’s a very busy time of year.

“It’s a way of life and it’s lovely but I have to spend all of August hibernating!”

Susan Bell ran a lollipop game stall with her five-year-old daughter Amelie, who is six tomorrow.

She said: “It’s good fun, this is the fourth year I’ve come to the fayre and the first time I’ve helped out, it’s always a good time.

“It’s been lovely to see how it’s grown over the years.”

The first May Day Fayre in the village was held to raise money for the village hall’s new roof.

The fayre also coincided with the 13th village-wide Scarecrow Trail which began at the village hall and tasked visitors with finding more than 50 scarecrows made by Wanborough residents with the theme of Myths, Legends and Proverbs.

The person who guesses the myth, legend or proverb for all the scarecrows will win £100 of Marks & Spencer Vouchers with other vouchers of smaller value for WHSmith and Wanborough Herb Nursery going to those in second and third place.

All profits made from the fayre and the trail will go to Wanborough Community Fund, which helps fund local projects and activities in Wroughton, Bishopston, Liddington, and Hinton Parva.

£18,000 has been raised over the last three years and soon Mrs Lanstein will decide how it’ll be allocated., possibly with a ‘Dragon’s Den’-style event with groups making pitches to get funding.