Pompom girls celebrate the Athens Olympics Winterslow School feteIT was a sporting life in Winterslow on Saturday, when the village turned out in force to support an Olympic-themed carnival procession and school fete, called Outstanding Olympics.

Dozens of tiny ancient Olympians from Winterslow Pre-school and the Brownies came adorned with laurel wreaths and held their torches and banners high, as the procession made its way to the school in blazing sunshine.

A few souls even saved their legs by making the journey pulled along in their own one-man chariots.

As well as ancient Greeks, there were runners, swimmers, equestrians, judo practitioners and a team of thoroughly modern marksmen, accompanied by a very game human target board.

And, fittingly, on the first day of Euro 2004, more than a few crosses of St George crept in among the Olympic rings fluttering in the breeze.

Villagers lined the route to enjoy the colourful spectacle, and a couple of the district's genuine sporting high-achievers, powerlifters Paul Newell and Neil Arnold, were on hand to support the occasion.

At the head of the procession, riding in luxury in two cars, were the carnival royalty, dressed to the nines for their special day - king and queen Sam Bell and Chloe Devall and prince and princess Sam Waters and Ellis Andrews.

The fun continued long into the afternoon, with a range of stalls and games at the school.