THE annual Bude and Stratton Heritage Festival was held on Sunday.

It is an event that celebrates the area’s history and Victorian inventor Sir Goldsworthy Gurney, who constructed the castle and resided there, and who developed the Bude Light.

Local groups were invited along to the festival. The event is usually held at the castle, but poor weather did not dampen the festival, and most of the stalls and entertainment continued from the Parkhouse Centre, outside which visitors could see classic cars, stationary engines, steam engines and tractors.

Musical entertainment included Bude Metric Brass band and the GMC Choir. Bude Bay Radio covered the event and Steve Lay compered from the bandstand.

There were demonstrations from groups including the jive club, demonstrations of jiu jitsu and Taekwondo. Bude Pilot Gig Club also attended.

Stalls included the RNLI, Trevithick Society, Ilfracombe Model Boats, Bude Harbour and Canal Society and Bude Canal Trust, the bridge club, games club, Old Cornwall Society, Cornwall Wildlife, the arts society and patchwork society as well as a stand about the Neighbourhood Plan. A clown also kept children entertained.

There were visiting dignitaries from Launceston, Holsworthy, Camelford, Wadebridge and Bodmin. Conservative North Cornwall MP Scott Mann also visited the festival, and a town crier opened the proceedings. A mayor’s Cornish-themed share lunch provided by Popti was held at the Castle.

For the full report, and a round-up of the area news and sport, see this week’s edition of the Post.