Wickham was packed today as hundreds of travellers visited the village for the annual horse fair.
Crowds gathered around barriers in the village as horse and pony-drawn carriages tore past them, while vendors sold a range of items from baby and adult clothes to cleaning products and bedding.
Bernice Wall, whose family organises the fair, said: "This year has been brilliant. There is a much bigger market this year which people have really appreciated. As the day has gone on, more people have come.
“There are more rides in the funfair and there are a really good mixture of not only the gypsy community but also local people. So we are very pleased to see that local people are coming back."
Mems Gengiz had a stall at the fair. Asked how business was, he said: "I'm finding it very good, very busy seeing all the community getting together, mostly the people coming here are like family, living in all parts of the UK.
"This is the first time I have been selling here [at Wickham Horse Fair], it's been good but busy."
Adding: "People are absolutely loving it, being out with the horses."
The event also attracted people from outside the village.
Eddie Walsh, from Portsmouth, said: "It's been a good day out: hot chilli sauce on a beef burger made it a really nice day.
"We have been coming here for a good forty years now, we come along for the day to look at some of the horses and ponies and it's nice.
"It's a historic thing, hundreds of years it has been running and I always enjoy coming to it - except when it rains."
The event is held annually on May 20 and has been held every year since 1269.
Jon Knight, inspectorate equine officer for the RSPCA, told the Echo the horses being sold looked “absolutely fine”, adding there was “nothing of concern” regarding their welfare.
He said: "There may be a few concerns about access to water, but there is water available here if needed - otherwise, everything here is looking good and healthy.
"We are here to engage, and we understand the reasons why the fair is on with the Royal Charter, we understand it’s their day that they look forward to and we’re here to support and to monitor."
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