WITNEY Festival of Food and Drink is going "from strength to strength" after another successful year, say organisers.

The fourth annual festival "kick-started the summer" committee member Lizzi Hocken said, as stallholders piled onto Church Green and in St Mary's Church to sell the finest local produce.

Ms Hocken said everyone was pleased with how it went, despite a smattering of rain.

She said: "The weather could have been kinder, but we were just grateful it was largely dry. By 4pm when it started to rain everyone had done what they wanted to do, anyway.

"We're really pleased at the number of people. The stallholders said they did as well as they did last year – so maybe people were staying inside to keep dry.

"There was a great spirit. The festival seems to go from strength to strength. It has become a community event. One woman old us the festival and wonderful atmosphere actually made her move to Witney.

"So I think it's a thing people really want to come to and have a good time."

As well as a wealth of local food and drink there was also a raffle, a dance workshop for children, farm-themed activities and live music.

It was officially opened at 10am by this year's festival champion and festival enthusiast, John Rustage of Witney butcher Hoggys Hog Shop.

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Ms Hocken said she wanted to thank the 200 plus volunteers, aged from 20 to 80, who helped out on the day.

She added after a small break the committee would be getting together to decide what they would do for the fifth year.

She said: "We usually have a small party after the event and then a meeting at the end of summer to establish if we want to do it again. then we write down things we thought we could do better. Then from October onwards it all starts again.

"We do try and do something special, slightly different, each year. And it'll be our fifth show next year."