ALL the fun of the fair returned to Minehead last week for the first time for 20 years and was hailed as a resounding success which brought thousands of residents and visitors to the Alcombe Marsh Common site.

Crowds thronged the fairground every evening from Wednesday to Saturday, often queueing for the massive state-of-the-art rides provided by Danter’s funfair and enjoying sideshows, stalls and refreshment facilities.

“It has been a wonderful few days and brilliant to see so many people enjoying themselves,” said Minehead Mayor Cllr Sandra Slade, who opened the fair on Wednesday.

“I am extremely hopeful that, with Minehead Town Council and Danter’s funfair working together, this could become an annual event.”

Fairground boss Leigh Danter said Alcombe Marsh common had proved to be a perfect site and he was delighted by the response from Mine-head and the support of town council members.

He had every hope that the fair would return next year and would be in discussion with councillors in the next two months.

Cllr Toni Bloomfield, one of the town councillors involved in negotiating the visit, said: “I was delighted by the numbers we got – people came from as far afield as Taunton and Exmoor and ranged from toddlers to pensioners.”

She said that some of the youngest visitors to the site before it opened were children from Minehead’s Cheeky Cherubs day nursery.

“They had never seen anything like it and Mr Danter kindly opened one of the children’s rides especially for them.”