Shropshire enjoys fun in the sun
Thousands of people took advantage of blazing Bank Holiday sunshine to enjoy events across the county.
The spring sunshine encouraged people to go along to an annual steam extravaganza at an Ironbridge museum with more than 3,000 visitors enjoying the festival over two days.
People were able to discover how the Victorians harnessed steam to power their engines and other machines at the event at Blists Hill Victorian Town. A variety of miniature steam traction engines were on display together with the museum's own steam-powered collection.
Among the town's engines was a working replica of what is believed to be the world's first steam locomotive, which was built in Shropshire by the Coalbrookdale Company in 1802-03 to a design by Richard Trevithick.
Out on the streets of Blists Hill, people also encountered 'Little Billy', the town's own 1903 Wallis & Stevens steam roller. At four tons, it is tiny by the standards of its contemporaries but during the weekend it was a giant compared with the miniature engines on show.
Paul Gossage, spokesman for the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust, said the sunshine certainly played a part in making the event a success.
He said: "This year the steam in miniature event was a great success attracting both steam enthusiasts and families keen to see a variety of historic miniature steam engines performing a variety of tasks in the Victorian Town at Blists Hill.
"The number of visitors is a healthy figure and up on last year, but it was wet last year and the sunshine does help things."
Thousands of people also headed to Weston Park to get some top tips on gardening.
The attraction, near Shifnal, hosted the specialist Plant Hunters' Fairs for the third year running over Sunday and Monday, which featured RHS Gold Medal winners.
The event featured more than 20 award-winning nurseries who were on hand to offer practical advice to gardeners as well as selling their specialist plants.
Stuart Craddock, Weston Park's operations manager, said: "We had more than 3,000 visitors to Weston over the two days and were delighted with another successful show.
"The sun shone and trading was brisk with plenty of green-fingered enthusiasts picking up new blooms for the garden." Hillview Hardy Plants, based at Worfield, near Bridgnorth, who offer advice on unusual hardy perennials, was one of the exhibitors at the fair.
Owner Sarah Millington said: "It was better than last year because the weather was so nice. It was great to see people out and about and realising they can garden again as the weather picks up."
The Foresters Arms in Madeley, Telford, hosted a charity family fun day which proved to be even more popular than organisers expected.
Landlord Phil Kemp said hundreds of people filled the pub throughout the day.
It is hoped the joint venture with Tesco will raise more than £1,000 for Diabetes UK with attractions including maypole dancing, cake stalls, a bouncy castle, barbecue and a raffle.
Mr Kemp said: "It was absolutely fantastic. We were packed all day and the pub was absolutely heaving.
" We took a week's takings in just one day.
"We had to restock the barbecue during the day because we underestimated the number of people who would arrive. It was brilliant and obviously the weather helped."
The annual Church Aston May Fair also proved a success in Church Aston, near Newport, yesterday.
It was the 30th May Fair to be held in the village and past May queens were invited to take part in a parade to mark the occasion.
Norbury Canal Festival, near Newport, featured traditional craft and food stalls and refreshments in the garden of the Norbury Junction Inn, with more stalls and activities spread along the canalside, in and around Norbury Wharf. The spring sunshine was also welcomed in Clun, where the Green Man successfully slayed the Frost Queen in a staged battle on the town bridge watched by hundreds yesterday.
Legend has it that if the Green Man is defeated, there will be no summer in the Clun Valley.
Sunday saw the Frost Queen's Street Fair in the town before the festival opened for its final day yesterday with the staged battle between the two old foes on Clun Bridge.
Meanwhile, hundreds of horse-racing fans descended on a Shropshire course which celebrated the event in its 90th anniversary year in beautiful weather.
Eyton Races attracted a big crowd for the North Shropshire Point-to-Point yesterday, with the day also including a trackside appearance by former Grand National winning horse Neptune Collonges.
A number of races took place at the amateur steeple-chasing event, including the 2.5 Mile Maiden, the Men's Open, Ladies Open and a joint North Shropshire Hunt and South Shropshire Hunt Members' Race.
Visitors also flocked to Attingham Park, in Atcham near Shrewsbury, to enjoy the second day of the National Trust property's annual spring fair.
Maypole dancing and live music was the order of the day for visitors, while there was also a plant sale. The event also offered the chance for visitors to find out more about the restoration of the site's Walled Garden, which was marking its fifth birthday.
