More than 1,000 people visited Potterne Medieval Fair to enjoy comedy and confrontation in equal measure.

Farmers John and Teresa Chandler have been organising the fair for some years to raise money for local good causes and offer a good day’s entertainment to local people.

Mr Chandler said: “The main point of the day was to see smiles on children’s faces and there was plenty of that.”

There was a bicycle jousting competition, and visitors young and old loved the medieval birds of prey exhibition by Tony Bryant from Gloucester.

The battle between Viking and Saxon re-enactors also impressed the crowds. There was audience participation, too, when the Rascal, played by Mr Chandler’s brother Roy, was found stealing ale from the alehouse, the Thirsty Deer Tavern. Mr Chandler said: “I asked the children to help me catch the Rascal and we soon had him in the stocks.

“The children asked him if he was sorry but he didn’t sound very apologetic.

“Then he escaped from the stocks and chased the children with the sponges. “But they soon rounded him up again and they took great pleasure in throwing sponges at him. Nothing gives us farmers so much satisfaction as seeing happy, smiling children’s faces, so that made all the effort worthwhile.”

Some £140 was raised from the teddy stall for Wiltshire Air Ambulance Charitable Trust, while £50 raised on the coconut shy will go to Breast Cancer Research. Another £200 is to be presented to the Royal British Legion.