THE Pirbright Village Fair proved a great success when it returned last Saturday.

“We were thrilled,” said Julia Douetil, one of the organisers. “It had been postponed twice because of COVID so we were a bit anxious about how many would turn up.

“But it was a fantastic response from all concerned, traders, visitors and helpers. It was great to see the community pulling together again and to help local businesses.”

The fair – with The Sea as its theme – was organised jointly by St Michael and All Angels Church and Pirbright Parish Council, to help raise funds for the church and community organisations.

“This year, though, was first and foremost about community,” Julia added. “We probably had about 1,500 visitors at any one time, which was about right because we could space everything out really well.

“Overall, with people coming and going, the total on the day would be around 2,000 to 3,000.

“The atmosphere was fantastic and it was so good to see so many people smiling.”

The fair had been trailed by the appearance of yellow periscopes on the village green, which were revealed to be a Yellow Submarine, complete with The Beatles peering through the portholes.