It was going to be held in St Mary’s Catholic Church Hall in Alton, but as the day of the annual strawberry cream tea was the hottest day of the year, everything was moved outside.

Organised by Pauline Fell and The Friends of St Mary’s, there were plenty of strawberries and fresh cream, not to mention homemade cakes and meringues for the 40 or so visitors who descended on the town church and its bunting-bedecked garden.

Mrs Fell, who used to organise strawberry teas for Action Medical Research, said the summer event raised £400 which will go toward building a new, non-slip path around the church.

Some of the visitors are pictured in the garden of St Mary’s Church with their seasonal goodies.