PILGRIMS flocked to Colchester’s historic Castle Park for the town’s annual Medieval Festival and Oyster Fair over the weekend.

Thousands of people descended upon Lower Castle Park for the popular event on Saturday and Sunday.

Visitors were treated to almost 100 stalls and a host of activities, including archery, jesters, historical dance, face painting and a hog roast.

It also included a tourney ring, where fighters put on displays of country back swording, and youngsters had the chance to enjoy storytellers, jugglers and musicians.

Organiser Donn Quinn said: “We are elated - the atmosphere was wonderful and we had some fantastic acts and displays.

“The event is the biggest of its kind in Europe – there’s nothing really like it anywhere.

“For me, the highlight was the atmosphere. I love to see the kids listening to the storytellers and the archery was phenomenal.”

Colchester’s own medieval musicians, the Colchester Waits, also performed at the event playing their shawms and sackbuts – the ancestors of the oboe and the trombone.

Lizzie Gutteridge, who runs the group, said: “We recreate the civic band of Colchester, which was employed by the mayor from the middle ages to the renaissance. “We go to quite a few events, but this is our favourite. It’s great to have this on our doorstep – there’s always a great crowd.”

Shelly Shearer, from Thorpe-le-Soken, visited the fair alongside husband Joe and son Arthur, four. She said: “It’s fantastic. As you come down the hill you see all the tents as they used to be - it’s like a real medieval village.”

Arthur said: “We came last year. I really liked the sword fighting and wanted to come back. I also really liked the storytellers.”