Strawberries, sunshine and swing brought out the crowds to Crudwell’s 26th annual strawberry fayre.

Thousands of families flocked to the village near Malmesbury, at the weekend, helping to raise about £5,000 towards the restoration of All Saints’ Church.

Cathy Butcher, who is the church warden and was responsible for catering, has been involved in the fayre for 25 years.

“It went very well indeed; everyone had a fantastic time,” she said.

“There must have been 1,500 people who attended, at least.

“There were more people this year because the weather was so nice.”

As well as plentiful portions of strawberries and cream, visitors and villagers alike were treated to an evening of sizzle and swing, with a choir on the green and market stalls from local groups.

Mrs Butcher said: “The evening made about £800 just on its own. It was so lovely to be out in the evening and not have to have any covering like last year, when it rained.

“Every year is very enjoyable but this year was a lot more relaxed and the mixture of events was great.

“The fayre started from very humble beginnings with just a few tables and chairs and not much else so it just gets bigger and better every year.”

Another attraction was the chance to see and learn about a stone carving, believed to date from the 12th century, which was discovered in the walls of the church during repair work.