VILLAGERS in Chiseldon came out in numbers at the weekend to celebrate the Holy Cross Church fete.

The Wroughton Silver Band entertained the crowds as volunteers kept the barbecue sizzling away nicely.

The event was hosted in the church grounds from 12.30pm until 4pm on Saturday and was officially opened by recently re-elected South Swindon MP Robert Buckland.

Revellers were able to peruse the many stalls on offer, including a plant stall, a Bric-A-Brac, a Teddy stall, a book stand and a beer table, as well as many more.

Neil and Joyce Acheson, who live in Old Town, saw the fete advertised in the Adver a couple of weeks ago and thought they would pop along to see what all the fuss was about.

Joyce, 63, said: “It’s always nice to get out the house at the weekend and support the local community.

“We like to come to things like this when the weather warms up – any excuse for a drink and a barbecue.”

One of the highlights of the day was a special parachute jump in which a hapless Teddy Bear was zip wired from the top of the church tower.

Martin Jenkinson, 67, was casting a beady eye over the book stall, looking to find a bargain.

“I always make a beeline for the books at an event like this,” he said. “It’s surprising what little gems you might find.”

There was also a raffle and a toy stall for the kids.