The first play day organised by Aldbourne Youth Council was a great success with hundreds attending the event on the village playing field during National Play Day.

Although the day’s activities were organised by members of the village’s youth council aided by their adult trustees Andy Davey and Hazel Keen, it was not just for young people but, said Mr Devey, for anyone “from nought to ninety”.

The Farm Lane playing field was packed with activities on Wednesday last week that included five a side football, cricket, pony rides, go karts, archery, rifle shooting, cheerleading, a bouncy castle and an all-day barbecue.

The fun day – designed to encourage outdoor activities – not only attracted villagers from Aldbourne but also people from neighbouring villages and as far away as Marlborough with whole families enjoying the range of activities on offer.

Some of the fun events were run by youth council members who also provided live music through the day but several events including the archery were run by staff from Wiltshire Council’s outdoor activities centre at Oxenwood.

Aldbourne Youth Council has twice won a prestigious national Philip Lawrence Award and recently achieved its ambition of buying its own premises, with the aid of a benefactor, in the centre of the village.

They have called their new centre -- on which restoration work is about to start -- the Community Junction because it will be used by members of the community of all ages and it stands at the junction of The Square with West Street.