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.

Carol Killinger, one of the volunteer organisers of the event, said entries in all sections were of a very high standard.

She said: "The children in particular produced some lovely little animals. We had 24 exhibitors in the children's section and about 80 adults, which is very good."

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.

Ms Killinger said the onion 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 on their way to Gloucester.

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

"It was revived by local people who were concerned about the decline of market towns," said Ms Killinger.

"Since then it has become a great success and it has become part of the local calendar. I believe it is the only onion show in the UK.

"It draws 10,000 people into a town with a population of 4,500 and it is very important for the local economy.

"All the organisers and stewards got up early on the Saturday morning and our hearts sank, because at 6am it was pouring with rain. But it cleared up and we had a lovely day."