WINCHESTER is used to traffic congestion but it was perhaps the city's first-ever "dog jam".
More than 130 canines paraded in a congested circle today at a city park.
It was certainly the first ever dog parade judged by a fully-fledged music idol Frank Turner.
The parade was the centrepiece of the Save the Rec event at North Walls Park attended by an estimated 2,500 people.
They are campaigning against the city council plans to build a new leisure centre on part of the park.
Mr Turner pondered the difficult task.
He admitted: “I'm quite nervous. I don't want anyone to be annoyed about this. This is harder than I imagined it would be.”
Save the Rec organiser Mike Caldwell said he was delighted with how the event had gone. “It was a fantastic turnout. Frank Turner was a real star, a charming man. It has been a great day.”
The park is set to be an important issue at the forthcoming city council elections on May 22.
The council is considering plans to replace the existing leisure centre because the current building is 40 years old and deteriorating fast. Another option is developing a new centre at Bar End.
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