HUGE crowds were drawn to Basingstoke's Down Grange over the weekend as the 11th annual Basingstoke Kite Festival became a sky-high success.

An estimated 15,000 people visited the event to see a wide variety of kites, such as bird-kites, a large dragon and even inflatable pandas, soaring into the sky.

People from as far afield as France, Edinburgh and Bristol all joined in with the fun as the kite experts showed what it takes to get the most out of kite flying.

Andy Grove, of Basingstoke council's leisure services department, was among those who helped staff the event. He said: "It is an event of colour and fun. My understanding of a kite was it was like a square but there are things here that I have never seen before."

There were staged events, including Japanese-style kite fights where competitors try to cut each other down or bring the kites crashing to earth, and a chance for people to fly a kite in the marked out "arena".

Kite Festival co-ordinator Alan Cosgrove, of Loddon Valley Kite Flyers, said that the weekend was a family affair and that people with a real knowledge of kites as well as novices enjoyed it.

He explained: "Among the many events, there was teddy bear dropping, where bears were put onto the line and then parachuted down, a kite workshop where children could make their own kites, and the design competition which we had more than 400 entries for."

Basingstoke and Deane mayor Cllr Gerry Traynor presented awards for the best kite design to competition winners Jamie Allaway, six, and Carly Rae Archer, 10, yesterday afternoon.

Kingsclere dad Jim Newitt is a regular visitor to the Gazette-backed Kite Festival and dropped by on Saturday with his four-year-old daughter Millie.

He said: "It is an excellent event. The kids can make their own kites and I bumped into many old acquaintances. There are lots of things to do here and, of course, it is free."