Newent Onion Fayre, the fifth since the event was revived, is being hailed as the biggest and best so far.

More than 12,000 flocked to Saturday's event, which saw the town centre full of stalls and rides for children.

Carol Killinger, for the organisers, said: "The whole place was chock-a-block and it was good to see so many smiling faces. And didn't the weather smile upon us, except for a small shower in the afternoon.

"Everyone was saying that the fair this year was bigger and better."

The fayre was officially launched in the Square by releasing scores of racing pigeons while the "Woolpackers" from ITV's Emmerdale entertained with banter and music.

A coach full of people from Wales came to see Emmerdale stars Alun Lewis and Billy Hartman, better known as Terry Woods and Vic Windsor.

Another television star also went down well with the crowd - Chocky, the Jersey bull calf, who viewers saw being born on the BBC's Down to Earth show. He was brought along by the Almost Human Animals company, which now owns him, and he became the big attraction of Animal Corner.

This year, more than six tonnes of onions were bought at the fayre, and some made sure that they bought their winter supplies early.

Mrs Killinger said: "One old lady with a Zimmer frame was pushing along with her sack of onions even before we'd opened!"

The mound of onions by the Market House was brought in by Over Farm.

The stage in the Square was provided at short notice, just three days, by Newent civil engineers M.W. Elton Building, after original plans for a stage fell through.

Mrs Killinger said: "A local business saved the day."