The circus came to Swindon on the bank holiday Monday, and children and families were delighted with what they found.

The Swindon Circus Festival arrived on Lawn Woods on May 8 run by Swindon Circus and Outdoor Arts Projects (SCOAP)

Through the sometimes-sunny day until 6pm, there was a programme including acrobats, comedy shows, and lots of opportunities for children to give it all a go in workshops.

A highlight was the over 8ft stilt walkers. “The event was brilliant, lots of going on for families”, said Phoenix Stewart of Stilt Walkers UK.

“The circus shows were great, workshops to get involved in and walk about entertainment to put a smile on people's faces.”

The stilt walkers wandered the woods, high-fiving children who danced around the performers, taking pictures.

The event was ‘pay-as-you-can’, which contributed to making the event as inclusive as possible.

Phoenix continued: “The format of 'pay what you like' (I can't remember the name of it) was such a good idea and meant the event was accessible to everyone, right in the heart of Old Town."

Festival producer Jacob Hirsch-Holland said: “The event was so good. We had such a good turnout and people seemed to really love it.”