HUNDREDS of festivalgoers enjoyed a combination of cricket, beer and traction engines this weekend.

South Oxfordshire was awash with festival-goers enjoying the spirit of summer in North Moreton and nearby Appleford.

At Appleford, near Didcot, about 1,000 people marked 60 years since the Great Appleford Traction Engine Race, between the Old Timer engine and the Ladygrove, at the village’s summer fete on Saturday in the Recreation Ground.

The original Old Timer, owned by the late Arthur Napper, made an appearance at the event, with villager Mary Hancock winning the top raffle prize – a ride on board the 98-year-old engine.

Traction engines are self-propelled steam engines and were used to move heavy loads on roads, plough fields or to provide power.

Organiser Teresa Flinders, of Chambrai Close, Appleford, said: “After they had the race originally, it revived an interest in traction engines in the village, because they were on their way out at the time.

“For quite a few years after they held a traction engine festival in the village.”

Revellers also enjoyed craft stalls, side shows, Punch and Judy, a dog agility display and car boot sale.

Wilf Bevan, 84, from Hermitage, near Newbury, attended the race 60 years ago.

He said: “It was quite an exciting race. Arthur Napper had a firkin of ale on his Old Timer and he won by quite a way. It was a very good day.”

Mrs Flinders added: “It was wonderful, we saw lots of people that we don’t see very often, because everyone has busy lives.”

Between Thursday and Sunday, hundreds of revellers descended on the Moreton Beer and Cricket Festival in North Moreton, and mingled with visiting Dutch cricketers from Amsterdam Cricket Club.

The original festival was held in 2008 to celebrate North Moreton cricket club’s 150th anniversary but was so successful it is now an annual event.

Lucy Haworth, of the Bear at Home, in Bear Lane, North Moreton, helped host the event with her father Tim Haworth.

The 18-year-old said: “There was a big turn out this year. All the villagers are involved and quite a lot of people from further away come as well.”

This year, eight teams battled it out in a cricket tournament, with the pub’s team, Grizzly Bear, coming out on top.