Crowds basked in the Borough Gardens sunshine as they listened to live music to for a good cause. 

Families laid out blankets and tucked into picnics as Swingtime in the Gardens returned to Dorchester on Saturday to raise money for the Fortuneswell Cancer Trust. 

Bands and volunteers from across the county donated their time for free to help make the annual event the most successful to date. 

Speaking on the day, chairman of the trust David Evans said: “Springtime in the gardens has been going for about ten years and the last couple of years all the money raised has gone to the Fortuneswell Cancer Trust which works very hard to improve the lives or cancer patients locally. 

“Our main fundraising focus today is for the new cancer unit at Dorset County Hospital and today we are hoping to top the £2000 mark for the first time.

“Last year we raised around £1200 for trust and in two or three weeks’ time we shall be handing over our next contribution of £50,000 to the hospital. 

“We are absolutely delighted with the turnout so far, I suspect, as the afternoon goes on, people will be hard pushed to find somewhere to put their picnic blanket.”

Throughout the afternoon, the Serenade singers performed with the Stickleback Jack band, followed by the Dave Bowen Quartet, the Purbeck Big Band and the Mill Street Jazz Band. 

Dorchester resident Lisa Ball, who was picnicking on the grass with her family, said: “We come along to all the music events in the Borough Gardens whenever they are on, we always love coming down. 

“We just bring the kids down and let them run around while we enjoy the music. We do a lot to support the charity as well. I do stuff for it at work and the boys have just run the Race for Life in Poole for the charity so keen to support it whenever we can.”

Alongside the music guests marvelled at a fleet of cars brought along by the Dorchester Classic Car Club. 

Chairman Kevin Thorne said: “This in now the third year we have been coming down. One of our members plays in the band and asked us to bring a few cars down so we did. Anything we can do to raise money for the Fortuneswell Cancer Trusts is a good thing

“The club has been going for six years now so we are also here to speak to people and let them know what we’re about and support the town wherever we can.”