Pictures by Diane Vose

More than 3,000 visitors to Seend Fete and Flower Show had fun in the sun and are likely to have raised a record amount for charity.

The weather was hot all day, which was in stark contrast to last year’s rain.

The turnout was one of the best ever and fete chairman Geoff Burgess said the fete made more than £8,000 – £1,500 more than last year.

The money will go towards a new boiler and floor in the Irene Usher Pavilion next to the Lye Field.

Attractions included folk music duo Salmagundi, the Britannia Majorettes from Swindon, the Swifts flyball display team and a bucking bronco.

There were numerous other stalls on the Lye Field while the flower show was inside the community centre in Rusty Lane.

Fete chairman Geoff Burgess said: “The place was absolutely full and the weather perfect. People had come from as far away as Pewsey, Malmesbury, Trowbridge and Devizes.

“By the end of the day the beer tent was almost out of beer and the Pimms tent, the tea tent and the ice cream stalls had almost run out too.”

The flower show was celebrating its 60th year and attracted more than 650 entries, a near record.

Classes included home produce, flowers, arts and crafts and photography.

The children’s sections were very well supported and entries from the playgroup and every class at Seend Primary School were displayed in the hall.

Show organiser Peter Fisher was delighted at the number and quality of entries, bearing in mind the recent heavy rainfall which ruined many intended exhibits.

He said: “Despite all that the elements could do to make life more difficult for gardeners, the standards of the many exhibits were of a very high order.

“They gained many favourable comments from the judges as well as giving a great deal of pleasure to the large number of visitors.”

Fete parade: Best decorated vehicles Winner: Chris Waylen of Seend Youth with Michael Jackson Thriller Night. Best children’s floats Winner Donna Hickman of Seend Cleeve with Seend Rebels; 2 Seend Playgroup. Best fancy dressed pedestrians Winner Doreen Munro as 60 years of Seend Fete and Flower Show. Best children’s fancy dress Winner Daisy-May Waylen as scarecrow; 2 Magnes Galloway as Doctor Who; 3 Torfi Galloway as soldier.

Flower show winners:

Challenge cup for most points for vege and fruit Colin Watts; challenge cup for most points for flowers and pot plants Susan Symons; challenge cup for floral art Helen Waylen; Seend Horse Show Cup for most points in show Susan Symons; cup for single best exhibit Robin Sawyer; WI salver for best exhibit by villager Charlie Mayell; RHS Grenfell Medal for the most points in the floral section Susan Symons.