All the photos from this year's Milton Abbas Street Fair

The Milton Abbas 18th Century Street Fair returned for its biennial celebration at the weekend, where bustling crowds were treated to eclectic mix of food, drink and entertainment.

Many stalls at the event were selling local produce, artisan wares and tasty treats, and there were demonstrations of local crafts such as thatching and forging. Entertainment was provided by Punch and Judy, Morris dancers and handbell ringers, and there was even a ferret racing event.

The fair is a much-loved event that raises money for community projects in Milton Abbas and the surrounding area, with those supported including sports and scout clubs, schools and allotments. Money raised is also put towards sprucing up the plants at the entrance to the village in rural north Dorset.

Each year, a donation is given to an external charity from funds raised through Gift Aid on entry donations. This year, the fair donated cash to Teddy20, a Blandford-based charity that supports children and young people with cancer.

Milton Abbas Street Fair is held every two years and was originally started almost one thousand years ago following the granting of a market and a fair to the old town of Middleton, the precursor to Milton Abbas. The fair was granted by King Edward I to celebrate the feast of St. Sampson which takes place on July 28.

In 1973, in celebration of the new village of Milton Abbas being 200 years old, the tradition of the fair was re-started, and it has been held every two years since.

A spokesman for the event said: "The fair was a happy reminder of past times on a summer day in rural Dorset, complete with ice creams, donkeys and even hay bale tossing.

"The villagers of Milton Abbas are hoping that everyone will be able to join them once again to celebrate their special day in two years' time on Saturday, July 31 2021."

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