SUNSHINE graced the Lydbrook Fete on the May Bank Holiday Monday – and it drew crowds to the event, held on The Tump park, beside the River Wye.

The event, which was this year made part of the AONB-led Wye Valley River Festival, featured music from a live DJ, Lydbrook Band, a tombola, free bouncy castle and clowns creating balloon sculptures, candy floss, a giant skittles game, a promotional stand from the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), and an enormous cake – which was specially created by Lydbrook resident Sally Lewis.

The cake, which drew a huge amount of interest, was over two feet across, (63 x 45 x 10cm to be exact) and, within fine icing, was set holographic photographs of images of Lydbrook, including Valentino the seal who visited the village recently, the Wye Invader barge as it travelled downstream, and two seasonal pictures of the village: one in summer and the other in winter. It was commissioned by the Tump Committee from Sally, who works for the Crusty Loaf in Coleford.

A competition was held to guess the weight of the colossal piece of confectionary, which was later revealed to weigh in at 42 lbs (19kg).

The cake was cut up on the day, and given away free to those attending the fete.

As parking chaos engulfed the whole of Lower Lydbrook, and large parties of bemused canoeists turned up, the crowd swelled, and by mid afternoon the Tump park was populated with people listening to a spirited performance by Lydbrook Band. They played a wide variety of music, including a memorable rendition of the Wallace and Grommit theme – to widespread acclaim amongst the sun drenched audience.

As usual, local extended families brought extensive picnics, and spent a leisurely afternoon enjoying the warm, but gusty, weather on the Tump, visiting the stalls and listening to the music.

Fun across the generations, Alfie Duggan caught in mid skittle, watched over by grandad Alf Duggan.