MINEHEAD residents and visitors enjoyed a packed programme of entertainment at a highly-successful family fun day at Minehead’s Irnham Road recreation ground - the first major event of its type in the town for 18 months.

“It was really great to see families out enjoying themselves and having fun in the sun and the open air, and we were delighted by the numbers who turned up,” said town councillor Toni Bloomfield, events officer of Gateway Events, which organised the day with Minehead Football Club and the town council.

“There was plenty of room for social distancing and people were able to relax and enjoy the entertainment on offer, and also to try a whole range of sports activities now available thanks to the enormous improvements which have been made at Irnham Road.”

Family fun on offer included a range of stalls, junior fairground rides, music from top local bands and singers, a tug-of-war, DJ party games and a visit from the Original Sailors’ Hobby Horse.

Visitors were invited to try a range of sports activities including football, basketball, running and tennis. The new community centre was open alongside the multi-use games area and a new adult gym, and organisations contributing to the event included the Lions Club, scouts, police and the emergency services.

“It was so good to see the community coming together after all the months in lockdown,” Cllr Bloomfield said. “And particularly the happy faces of the children made us realise just what we had been missing.”

More photos in tomorrow’s Free Press.