Thousands attend festivities at annual Patcham Duck Fayre

Families and residents came out to enjoy amusements, musical performances and browse community stalls at this year’s Patcham Duck Fayre.

Children were seen playing on a bouncy castle and other fairground rides, with others learning circus skills and watching a dog show, with awards including waggiest tail, best rescue and best in show.

Crowds looked on as the judges determined the winners in the dog show

This year's event in the fields of Patcham Junior and High School also featured a model version of the Volks railway, courtesy of the Brighton Model Railway Club.

The Patcham Duck Fayre Revival Group, a group of community volunteers that organise the event, said they expect as many as 5,000 people to attend today’s festivities.

A working model of the Volks railway featured as part of this year's Duck Fayre

Sally Booth, chairwoman of the group, said: “It’s fantastic and looks lovely - it’s even bigger than last year with more stalls and a tea tent.

“Following covid, I think people still want to get out and meet up with friends again, and the event brings people from Patcham and the surrounding areas together.

“Providing the weather holds, I think the fayre sums up the end of summer, and I love the traditional old-fashioned village style of the event.

“We never want to become too commercial - we just want to hold on to local talent, local crafts and local people.”

Sally Booth said it was 'fantastic' to see so many people attend this year's event

Among the stalls at the fair is a Ukrainian arts and crafts tent, helping raise money for those impacted by the ongoing Russian invasion.

Sally said it was essential to show that Patcham shows solidarity with those affected by the war.

She said: “We want to embrace and support our friends - what we find is that, although we don’t raise money for charity as a group ourselves, the charities here raise huge amounts of money.”

Some £35,000 was raised by charities at last year’s event, with the RSCPA, Brighton Lions Club and the 44th Brighton Scout group - who originally started the event back in the 1980s, having stalls at the event this year.

Families joined a long queue to get their faces painted to mark the occasion

Although no one is quite sure why the Patcham-based Scout group called the fete a duck fayre, the current organisers suggest ducks from the pond outside All Saints Church in Church Hill used to wander down the road into the village, only to be chased back up the hill by residents with brooms.

Those interested in getting involved in organising next year's event are encouraged to get in touch by email at info@patchamduckfayre.org.uk.