THE Old Town community came out in force to support a popular school fair on Saturday.

Croft Primary School’s annual event is renowned for drawing in crowds each and every year and the gathering over the weekend was no different.

From throwing wet sponges at teachers to having a go at some arts and crafts, there was something for everyone at the fair which was organised by the PTA.

The active group of parents raise thousands of pounds every year for things to benefit pupils from helping to pay for a mini bus to buying iPads to help with learning.

Claire Furnell is the chairman of the PTA and hopes the fair pushes the group over their target of raising £7,000 this year alone.

“We do lots of things throughout the year and this fair is just one of them,” she said. “We try to make it inclusive and encourage parents to come along, enjoy themselves and be a part of the PTA.

“Everyone seems to enjoy themselves and the parents at the school have opinions which we try to use to make a difference.”

Despite a little drizzle early on, there was a whole host of outdoor games and stalls for people to have a look over or get involved with including a bouncy castle which youngsters made sure was in use the entire day.

Charlotte Phillips, 40 brought along her two sons Albie, eight and Bertie, five, to the fair as they are both pupils at Croft Primary.

“We come here every year,” she said. “We come along to support the school and it is something the kids love to do and we’ve been coming here for a good three to four years.

“They put on lots of different things for the kids and they raise a lot of money for the school which is great.”

Principal Candida Hutchinson was just one of the unlucky teachers who braved to get in the stocks to raise extra funds for the school.

“We have a very supportive school community and we have a strong family ethos inside and outside the school,” she said.

“We’ve got families here who have children starting in September and so it is nice for them to get to know other families because joining a new school is quite nerve-racking for some parents to hopefully this shows there is that support.

“Considering we are a small but growing school, the PTA raise a considerable amount of money for the number of pupils here.”