IT had to be one of the biggest tributes a village can pay the Queen when Four Marks held a village picnic to celebrate her 90th birthday.

On a weekend of festivities in the village near Alton, the first event should have been a street party but rain meant a switch to the village hall.

Teresa Hammond, a member of the festival committee, said: “We had a 150 people who had a wonderful afternoon.”

Four Marks Scouts – Teresa is Scoutmaster – provided a variety of hot food while Four Marks WI made the cakes that were later served with jelly, strawberries and cream.

The villagers were entertained by Sir Nitwit, a magician, and by their own vicar, the Reverend Howard Wright, a talented juggler.

During the afternoon everyone was invited to paint a mug, which was fired overnight, and presented to them at the picnic celebrations next day at the recreation ground.

“We were celebrating the Queen’s 90th birthday, but it was also designed to bring the community together as well as being a fun-packed afternoon with so many activities run by village people,” said Teresa.

Four Marks Parish Church organised fun activities for the children, Four Marks Women’s Institute ran a cake stall alongside stalls run by other organisations, the gospel choir added some magical sounds to the occasion, the village’s horticultural society had a special display stall, James Cole entertained, and Four Marks Scouts did their usual fine job with the barbecue.

The church had a children’s art exhibition and outside a 10-kilometre race took place around the recreation ground.

And over the weekend some strange figures had begun appearing in village gardens. Teresa said of the flower pot men: “We thought it would be fun to ask people to make one that resembled the people living in the houses. Of course I had a Scout model but there was a mechanic, a lumberjack, and ladies wearing flowery hats.”

“It was a marvellous weekend in Four Marks and it did what we hoped it would do and brought the community together in one big celebration,” she added.