THE traditional dancing round the Maypole was recreated in Llangrove as part of the village’s May Day celebrations.

Historically the dancing was to celebrate the arrival of springtime and the coming growing season and concludes with the crowning of the May Queen with flowers.

Villagers came together once again for the annual May Fayre which invited people to have a go at circus skills, from the young to the young at heart everyone could try stilt walking, juggling and unicycling.

Even the fire officers from Whitchurch were seen attempting riding the tiny bicycles.

In the centre of the village school field, stood the maypole where the local children dressed the pole by weaving ribbons during their rendition of the traditional Battle of the Winter and Spring - the Ice Queen and her icicles verses the Green Men of the Spring. The dance concluded with the green men crowning the May Queen, Grace Cartledge, aged 10 followed by dancing in celebration.

But due to the possibility of inclement weather, the outside of the field was lined with gazebos housing entertaining attractions; including local crafters selling their crafts, stalls selling books, nearly new items and a gazebo bursting with preloved teddies.

There was a welcome return for the much-loved Chicken Drop, after bird flu restrictions were lifted, where a hundred or so crowded around a small pen willing one of the four chickens to make a deposit.

The organisers would like to thank all of those who gave up their free time to help set up and run the activities and to everyone who visited the field and willingly spent their hard-earned money to help the event raise over £4,000 for the church, village hall and other children’s amenities in Llangrove.