More than 170 members of a theatre group descended on a local beauty spot to celebrate a great summer of performances.

Theatre enthusiasts from Artsreach, a charity which brings live theatre, music, dance and family shows to rural communities across Dorset, gathered at the Springhead Gardens in Fontmell Magna to commemorate the end of the season and look forward to their autumn programme.

It was a great day for the gathering, as the sun was shining, mute swans were out on the nearby lake and Artsreach members were able to enjoy a production of Flan O’Brien’s cult classic, The Third Policeman, from Cornwall’s Miracle Theatre.

With its comic characters, streaks of dark humour and memorable plot twist, the Artsreach audience brought the curtain down on a summer season which saw more than 2,400 theatre-goers attending their lives performances across Dorset.

The members were joined by staff from Blanchards Bailey, a company of specialist legal experts who are lead supports of the arts charity, giving Artsreach members a chance to praise the legal group for their continued support. Many revellers arrived early to enjoy a picnic in the gardens of Springhead and soak up the atmosphere.

Kerry Bartlett, co-director at Artsreach, said “This summer has been a hugely successful for Artsreach, with almost all performances reaching capacity and the exciting confirmation that our Arts Council Funding is secured for a further four years. Coupled with that, we have enjoyed the continued support of local legal firm Blanchards Bailey, and the event at Springhead was the perfect opportunity to celebrate together.

“It was lovely for our audience to be welcomed to the show by members of the Blanchards Bailey team, and everyone seemed to enjoy the opportunity to eat al fresco beside the lake too.”

Also, to kick off the celebrations in style, the audience enjoyed a complimentary drink, courtesy of Blanchards Bailey.

The Artsreach Autumn programme launches soon with more than 60 events scheduled between now and Christmas.

To find out more, visit www.artsreach.co.uk