RECORD crowds filled the streets of Newent as the town's revived onion fair celebrated another year of success.

Saturday's event, opened by local man Eric Freeman, brought some 10,000 people into the town with a combination of stalls, fun fair rides, entertainment, competitive classes - and lots of onions.

Onion enthusiasts converged from all parts of the country to display their lovingly-tended vegetables and to enter them into the various classes.

And local children vied with each other to display the best animal made of vegetables.

Sacks of onions were also on sale, with many people taking the opportunity to stock up for the winter.

Newent's streets were completely closed to traffic and taken over by about 100 trade stands and sideshows. And there was plenty of street entertainment, and music from a variety of performers.

Local traders competed to show the best window display. This year the theme was book titles and hairdressers The Golden Combe won with Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Each display had to include an onion.

Carol Killinger, one of the volunteer organisers, said the fair dates back to the 13th century, when Henry III granted its charter. Part of its popularity stemmed from the fact the town was a stop for Welsh drovers going to Gloucester.

It disappeared in the early 1900s, but was revived in 1996.