THE?village fete has returned to Chawton after a two-year break.

And returning with a host of family favourites on August 6 on the law at Prowtings, the fun fete was clearly worth the wait as it raised more than £3,500 for good causes – the biggest pot raised in a decade.

Such was the popularity of the returning village fete that organisers deemed it a “great success”.

Cash raised will be shared between the village hall, St Nicholas Church, Chawton Cricket Club, Chawton Pre-School, Chawton Horticultural Society, Chawton Women’s Institute, Chawton Mother and Toddlers’ Group, and the Chawton School Support Group.

Among the attractions were Trigger the Train, brought along by Roy Rogers, music performed by The Gosport Solent Brass Band, ferret racing, Mary Fairley’s novelty dog show, plate smashing, bouncy castle, and children’s chairoplanes.

The Greyfriar’s beer tent, a barbecue, Peter Shakespeare’s miniature traction engine Percy, a raffle, dog show and flower and vegetable show in Chawton village hall also proved popular.