Ref. 71768-11WARM sunshine bathed the 150th anniversary of the Mechanics' Institute children's fete in Faringdon Park on Saturday.

The event was also used as the launch pad for a fundraising campaign to restore the dilapidated building where Great Western Railway employees were able to read, learn and enjoy concerts.

Traditional entertainment including Punch and Judy shows, rides, games and fireworks were supplemented with displays by graffiti artists, live music and dancing. There was even the chance to buy fruitcake made using the same recipe as that for past fetes.

Among the guests of honour was Mollie Tanner, whose father was employed in the workshops and who attended the final fete in August 1939 before last year's revival. She remembered her mother sharing out the popular fruitcake.

Mrs Tanner and her husband John were celebrating the 60th birthday of the Tanwood dancing school, which used to hold performances on the Playhouse stage at the institute.

Fete co-ordinator Martha Parry said the success of last year's resurrected event had made the New Mechanics' Institution Preservation Trust determined to run it every year, just as the original institute committee had done.

The future of the institute, which lost out on the chance of competing against 20 other buildings in a televised nationwide public vote on restoration after it changed hands earlier this year, is still uncertain.

"The Mechanics' Preservation Trust still hopes that its plans for restoration will ultimately prevail in the interests of the people of Swindon," said Martha.