THIS?year’s renewal of Froyle fete was a special one for it marked the 70th anniversary of the village spectacle – and the organising committee pulled out all the stops to make it memorable.

It is essentially a fete held for the village but attracts a lot of visitors and, as always, there was plenty to see and do.

The fete was opened by parish council chairman Mick Wells, who told visitors it was an historic day as the first fete had been held in Froyle Place 70 years ago. To mark the occasion, the archives were on display for people read about past fetes and of the village through the years.

This year it was difficult to choose what to see first. There was a flower show in the village hall boasting the most entries ever while the fete itself was in full swing on the recreation ground.

There was a good variety of stalls, including a popular tombola, competitions and games. The children had fun with the face painting or enjoying lots of ice cream, as well as taking on the adults at tug-of-war – and winning.

The dog show attracted a large crowd which enjoyed watching the four-legged contestants take part in the various categories, such as the dog with the waggliest tail, most like its owner, and best behaved.

Fete committee chairman Ian Whitemore said the 70th fete was “a great success” and it had been what they always tried to create.

“It’s a traditional village fete for the village and we don’t charge an entry fee,” he said. “On our stalls we try to have products made by the residents of Froyle, such as cakes and crafts, as well as making it an entertaining day for everyone.

“Where we can, we also like to get people involved in running it and this year we have welcomed some new residents who volunteered to help the committee and they now feel part of the village.”