Thousands of daytrippers and holidaymakers flocked to the coast during the first two days of the bank holiday weekend.

Brighton was among the most popular destinations followed by Weston-super-Mare and Blackpool.

Residents and visitors to Sussex could be forgiven for thinking they had stepped back in time during the weekend.

Lords and ladies, squires and knights piled into the grounds of Herstmonceux Castle, near Eastbourne, to partake in a spot of jousting and a spit roast.

The three-day medieval festival attracted fans of re-enactment and families alike with falconry shows, a siege of the castle and a market.

Women wearing wimples, veils and bodiced gowns cooked meat while their menfolk donned tunics or chainmail to chop wood and fight for their honour.

Paul Harrington, 54, from Saltdean, was doing a brisk trade in arrows at his stall.

Mr Harrington, or Alwyn the fletcher to his friends, said: "Me and my wife, Sue, spend most of our weekends going to medieval re-enactments.

"During the week, we run a business making 15th Century replica arrows and sell them on the internet, along with looms and artefacts. It's a real niche market but interest is growing.

"We don't dress up in tunics all the time and certainly wouldn't go to the supermarket dressed like this. We have been extras in Blackadder, though."

Phil Clark, an engineer from Haywards Heath, was part of a group of musicians playing outside the Buxom Wench beer tent.

Mr Clark, who plays the dulcimer, a medieval stringed instrument, said: "When people go home and the gates close for the evening, that is when the party really starts.

"All the people from the stalls and the re-enacters start playing music and dancing into the night."

The fields around the castle were full of striped pavilion tents decked out inside in traditional camping furniture.

Annie Walker, 32, from Lincolnshire, said: "This is a bit more civilised than modern camping. It's an escape from the pressures of life. There are no mobiles and there's nobody to bother you here.

"While the men are off fighting I've been making boiled beef and carrots because they'll be hungry when they get back."

Kris Aldridge, a 51-year-old mother from Seaford, is a huge fan of the medieval way of life.

She said: "I am really into archery and come camping at the festival because it's so authentic. After three days I think 'Oh no, I have to go to a supermarket again'.

"I only light my home with candles and don't have a television. I love this way of life and wear authentic Norman style dresses and shoes."

In Arundel, the medieval theme continued with a 15th Century-style market planned for the festival, which started on Saturday and runs until next Sunday.

To mark the start of the festival on Friday, fireworks lit up the sky and on Saturday three brass bands played to crowds of people in the main square.

Members of Blasmeister, a brass band from Lancing, wore traditional German costumes as they played their trumpets and trombones.

Hundreds flocked to an It's A Knockout competition for a fun afternoon for the family with a giant inflatable activity course.

Children and adults frolicked in the foam during the event and teams competing against each other slipped in soap suds as they made their way across the course on Western Lawns yesterday.

The fun continued in Eastbourne during the town's ninth birdman competition.

A total of 13 plucky contestants launched themselves off a 40ft ramp on the side of Eastbourne Pier yesterday.

Preening himself afterwards was Ron Freeman, who notched up a record-breaking "flight" of 76m in his machine Geordie Flyer, smashing his own record of 71m from last year's competition.

Ron, 46, a hang-gliding instructor from Northumberland, swooped off with a prize of £1,000 in the Wright category for serious flyers.

Computer analyst David Cooper, 45, from Sheffield, waddled away with the second prize of £500 for his flying machine Skyscooper.

But it was those in the wacky category that raised most cheers from the crowds packing the pier and beach.

It was carpenter Mark Booker, 34, from Stone Cross, near Crowborough, who soared away with the £500 prize in the wacky category for his craft Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

The competition not only showed off the best of British eccentricity and invention but also raised money for the RNLI.