PORLOCK should enjoy a bumper apple crop this year after villagers toasted the trees in a ceremony steeped in tradition.

The annual wassail celebrations to ensure a good harvest were revived four years ago.

But organisers declared this year's event on Monday the best on record.

"It was a fabulous evening," said Porlock Visitor Centre manager.

Numbers were down slightly because the rain only dried up just ten minutes before the entertainment got underway.

But the spectacle was one of the noisiest and colourful to date.

The celebrations started at Dovery Manor Museum, followed by a parade along the High Street, with more wassailing at Sparkhayes Farm.

The ceremony of firing into the apple trees to ward off evil spirits was repeated at the visitor centre and the community orchard, with the finale a mummers play by the North Devon Mummers in the Top Ship.

Porlock's wassail king, queen and princess took centre stage with local musician Martin Babb and friends providing a musical background.

And the host of traditional songs sung including a special wassail ditty - the second to be penned by Porlock resident and wassail queen Chris De Vere Hunt.

In true wassail style the path of the event was smoothed by copious amounts of cider made from local apples in the ancient cider press at the visitor centre.

One of the stars of the show was Devon-based television personality and wildlife expert Johnny Kingdom who brought along a film crew to capture the celebrations for a forthcoming series.

"People of all ages came along, which was great," said Denise.

"We asked everyone to bring drums or anything else to make a noise and we had a great response.

"It was a really colourful, vibrant event - absolutely brilliant."

Photos: Maureen Harvey