VOLKSWAGEN enthusiasts from across Europe met in Malvern at the weekend.

Busfest, also known as the world’s largest VW Transporter show, welcomed over 8000 vehicles and 300 stalls to the Three Counties Showground.

This year was particularly special as the festival celebrated the 50th anniversary of the production of the bay window van.

The organiser of the event, Simon Blackwell, was pleased with how many people had turned out.

“It’s difficult to tell at the moment exactly how many people will attend because we don’t charge for under 16s,” he said.

“All 4000 camping spots have sold out so we’re expecting at least 25,000 across the weekend.”

Volkswagen clubs from Holland, Germany, Belgium, Italy and across Europe all made the trip to Malvern for the event.

“I like to think that it’s an annual migration from Europe to Malvern,” said Mr Blackwell.

“I have two German crews who help organise everything, one from Berlin and one from Stuttgart.

“The Berlin crew come every year and that’s over 800 miles.

“The whole thing about this is this is like a great big massive family.

“I see the same people in the same spot every year.

“It’s almost like you carry a conversation on a year later.”

Competitions included the annual Busfest Games, which featured a sack race, egg and spoon race, bean bag throwing, a space hopper relay and a five-legged race.

Cooking in a Camper pitted Volkswagen owners against each other in a one-hour battle to cook a three-course meal using only two gas rings and a grill. The contest was judged by celebrity antiques expert James Lewis.

Mr Blackwell said: “Cooking in a Camper was just a silly idea we had one year and now it has turned into this massive industry.”

In line with this year’s theme, Gunther Mack and Patrick Bruhl, two of the Busfest crew, showed off their well-travelled bay window camper which they recently completed a trip to Moscow and back in.

This year’s evening entertainment included German food and drink and performances by Jonge Remstaller, an authentic German brass band, as well as drag queens, heavy rock bands and a George Michael tribute.

Other entertainment included a stunt show by the Vander Brothers who performed blindfolded on the Wheel of Death.

The centrepiece event, Show & Shine, handed out a range of awards to different types of vans and campers as well as ‘Best Accessory’, ‘Best in Show’, and ‘Best Interior’.

Mr Blackwell added: “Of all the shows I go to, I hear people always mention this one, they always say that is the one you have to go.

“It really gets to you.”

Carl Wheatley, aged 50, who travelled in his 1967 Volkswagen camper from Marlborough in Wiltshire, said: “I’ve been coming here every year since 2005.

“When we get a new calendar, this is the first thing we mark.”