THE Market Place in Devizes was transformed over the weekend for another successful year of the Country Comes to Town event, giving everyone a closer look at the country way of living.

Organised by the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, Country Comes to Town, which took place on Saturday (September 23) introduces volunteers from Wild Connections, Magnificent Meadows and other wildlife organisations, as well as a few farmyard friends for the children to meet, to the people of Devizes.

Sam Wilson, of the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, said: “This is the 5th year we’ve held this event and it’s a great opportunity to showcase the work of the Trust to visitors in an interactive way. We estimate that there were several thousand people who passed through.”

Families were given the chance to get up close and personal to two rare cows from the Lower Moor Farm Nature Reserve Complex in Oaksey.

Mrs Wilson added: “Other exhibitors included Oak & Furrows, a local wildlife rescue centre based on our Blakehill Farm Nature Reserve, Wings & Talons, a local bird of prey demonstrator and Wiltshire Bees. We also had two of our rare breed Belted Galloway cows from our Lower Moor Farm Nature Reserve Complex. These animals are vital in helping us to maintain our wild flower meadows.”

Proving to be another successful year, plans are already in motion by the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust as to how next year will follow.

“Overall, the event was our best ever. There was a great buzz about it and it was fantastic to see so many people getting involved in the activities. We hope that they went away with a much better understanding of the work that we do. We look forward to seeing them all back at next year’s event,” said Mrs Wilson.