TORRENTIAL downpours meant the Bank Holiday weekend was a washout for people across Swindon.

The rain forced events to be called off, many at the last minute, leaving both organisers and those planning to attend disappointed.

The events that suffered included the Purton Carnival, the final two days of the Nostalgia Weekend, the first ever LiveFest at Redlands airfield and the annual Old Town Rotary Club duck race.

Despite a successful first day, the Nostalgia Weekend, which took place at the Polo Ground, had to cancel events on both Sunday and Monday.

Exhibitors had travelled from all over the country, and there was due to be a tightrope walker and much more on all three of the family days.

Organiser Paul Smith said that while Saturday had been a huge success the rain kept visitors away.

"Saturday was a success, with hundreds of entries," he said.

"But the weather on Sunday and Monday meant that people did not turn up and the show wound up early.

"The visitors just didn't come because of the rain. If it had stayed dry we would have been packed."

And it seems that rain was too much for ducks as well, with the Rotary Club cancelling its annual event at Westcott recreation ground.

Organiser Chris Frith said: "When we went down to the river at 7.30am the whole of the field was under water.

"We felt it would be too dangerous for people. We are postponing it but we are hoping to stage it again in the next six weeks."

And the first ever LiveFest event, which was celebrating multiculturalism in Swindon, was rained off on Sunday afternoon.

Trish Rawlins, who organised the event, said it was a shame they had to cancel.

"We're going to try and set it up for the beginning of June, or the end of July but it is still to be confirmed," she said.

Forecaster John Millard said the worst of the weather was over.

"Yesterday saw plenty of cloud with some patchy outbreaks of light rain," he said.

"It was quite chilly overnight with temperatures dropping down to about four or five degrees.

"But there should be a good start to Tuesday - dry with plenty of sunshine.

"There might be some cloud in places and temperatures should be back up to 15 or 16 degrees.

"It's still a degree or two off what is normal for this time of year but is a big difference to what we saw this weekend."