FOR the second year in a row the Alresford face-finding mission has brought colour, entertainment and increased footfall to the town centre during the school summer holidays.

The ‘mission’ was to find 25 colourful masks hidden in windows around the town centre, identify them from their photograph on the entry form and then noting down the letter that accompanied them.

Those who managed to find all of the faces were entered into a draw to win prizes donated by local businesses.

The face-finding mission was always intended to appeal to adults as well as children, so prizes included meal vouchers, haircuts and shopping vouchers. Participants were also encouraged to brush up on the local history of Alresford and complete three bonus questions, using the plaques in the town to identify three historical facts for a chance to win a £50 voucher.

The masks themselves were created by year seven pupils at Perins School during a cultural arts day and 25 of the 200 masks made were selected to be displayed around the town centre.

Face-finding mission participants were asked to vote for their favourite mask, and the winner, with more than 25 per cent of the vote, was Alice with her striking yellow and black design. The 12 year old was presented with a selection of art equipment by the Winchester City Council market towns development team.

Rob Humby, portfolio holder for business partnerships and policy coordination, said: “Changes in shopping habits are continuing to challenge our high streets and initiatives like the face-finding mission play an essential role in ensuring local people continue to support local businesses.

“One of Alresford’s newer retailers, Billy Goat Shoes, reported not only an increase in footfall but an increase in sales as a direct result of the face-finding mission.”

The popularity of the event has grown from last year, with more than 400 people of all different ages taking part this summer.