ORGANISERS of Hampshire's homage to watercress last weekend have been stunned by the event's success. Some 12,000 people attended - 5,000 more than last year.

Broad Street was closed to traffic to allow cookery demonstrations by TV chef Antony Worrall Thompson, pictured, food markets, music and entertainment.

Vitacress, one of the major growers, gave away 6,000 bags of watercress.

Jennifer Laing, one of the organisers, said: "We had a heck of a lot of people. At one point you couldn't move in Broad Street.

"It was a phenomenal success. I think more people know about it. My husband was at the Winchester farmers' market at the same time and the numbers there were down because people were in Alresford.

"It has tapped into this feeling that we need to be looking at locally-sourced food."

Alresford became the centre of the watercress industry in 1865 when the rail line opened, allowing farmers to get their crop to market in London.

Ms Laing said there would definitely be another festival next year.