IT WAS a record breaking year for a Romsey Christmas fair which raised thousands for charity.

The Romsey Abbey Christmas Fair saw hundreds burst through Crosfield Hall's doors to start their festive shopping early.

Opened by by Romsey Town Crier Terry Hamer, the Mayor of Test Valley Cllr Carl Borg-Neal, and Rev'd David Potterton

the annual fair was dubbed "a huge success" by organiser.

Customers poured through the door almost non-stop for the whole morning seeking bargain from the many and various stalls creating a blaze of Christmas colours, with gifts and prizes of every description.

The Friends of Romsey Abbey Bottle Tombola was well stocked with 280 bottles and the Grand Draw had a record breaking 36 prizes.

Father Christmas was busy being part of many photographs for family albums and throughout the morning he gave out gifts ably supported by the Abbey’s Revd Paul Hollingworth as a Snowman!

The children of Romsey Abbey C of E Primary School Choir took to the stage and sang some beautiful Christmas Carols under the leadership of their Musical Director, Marion Maxey, with crowds gathering around the stage to hear their beautiful music.

The Abbey Fair would just not be completed without the amazing talents of the Abbey’s Catering Team who provided very high quality homemade cakes, freshly made soup, many mince pies and copious amounts of tea and coffee throughout the day to hungry customers.

The Rev'd David Potterton, the Abbey’s assistant curate, announced to a packed Abbey on Sunday morning, that the Fair had been a very friendly and happy event with a record breaking sum of almost £6,000 being raised, about £1,000 more than in recent years.

Rev'd Potterton thanked the congregation for their overwhelming generosity in donating all the goods which were on sale at the Fair and emphasised that all the money raised would help both the upkeep and the mission of the Abbey.