A COMMUNITY  was determined to enjoy itself despite the rain trying to wreck its annual big family day out.

Initially, the weather was dry as hundreds of people young and old representing many different local organisations paraded from Hurst Hall Community Centre through the streets of Strensall at the start of the village's Community Carnival.

Shortly after the parade arrived at the carnival ground next to Strensall and Towthorpe Village Hall, however, the heavens opened, and the crowds headed for the indoor café – or left for their homes.

But organisers and stall holders quickly revised their plans to ensure the celebrations continued in some form, some of the crowd stayed and when the rain eased, people returned and the numbers began to build up again.

“We’re British, it’s what we do,” said one attender determined not to be beaten by the rain.

The annual day raises money for village activities, such as the annual Christmas lunch to more than 60 people in the community in need of company on December 25.

Steve Popple, head of the organising committee, said it was the first time for some years that carnival day had been rainy and  was delighted the weather had been good for the parade.

“We had 350 people in the parade, Shepherd’s Youth Band, York City Pipes, Scouts, Guides, Brownies, – all the Baden Powell group of organisations – Army Cadets, the WI, Snappy, we had someone from every village community,” he said. “Most of the entertainment went indoors.”

He said that despite the weather, the event was “fantastic” with a lot of local charities and organisations having stalls alongside the “professional stalls that come year in year out”.

Strensall Tigers Football Club had a queue for their football skills activity – until the rain came – and recruited two new members for their schoolboy teams.

Phil Martinez of Oscar’s Paediatric Brain Tumour Charity said as well as promoting its services, the event had enabled him to meet for the first time a girl the charity had been helping.

Other stalls included a small animal specialist and York Rescue Boat and Explore York mobile library parked its van next to the ground and welcomed visitors all day.

Fully working model steam and diesel engines were a big draw, conveying passengers back and forth on a temporary railway track along one side of the carnival ground.

They were made by members of the formerly Eggborough Power Station based Leeds Society Model and Experimental Engineers who are looking for a new home, now that the power station is being demolished.

They need a site of two to three acres within 20 miles of Selby. Despite their name, most of their members come from the southern part of North Yorkshire and the Scunthorpe area.