Fratton's May Fayre set to attract thousands of revellers to the city

St Mary’s Church in St Mary’s Road, Fratton, will host its annual May fayre on bank holiday Monday.

Organisers hope the spectacle, now in its 31st year, will attract the biggest crowd to date, topping last year’s record-breaking high.

Monday’s fayre aims to transform the church into a ‘village green’ packed with activities, including a beer tent, fair ground rides and a bouncy castle.

Father Bob White, vicar of St Mary’s Church is looking forward to the day-long event.

He said: ‘This an important day for us at St Mary’s as it is our chance to celebrate our life and the life of the community around us.

‘The rich diversity of the stalls, the entertainments, the groups we work with, and the visitors is a reflection of the richness of the Fratton and wider Portsmouth community.

‘We are grateful to all who work with us in making this possible, and look forward to welcoming everyone – old friends and new – to this great event.’

Some of the cash raised will go towards supporting the church and paying for the upkeep of the site.

However, a number of other charities, which will be holding stalls on the day will also benefit.

As well as the action outside, this year will also see Fratton Big Local help to celebrate all that’s best about the area.

Inside the church there will be a wealth of activities for people to join in and stands for people to discover what’s going on in Fratton.

For the first time revellers will also get a chance to try their hand at the traditional art of bell ringing.

Deputy lord mayor and Fratton councillor David Fuller has been attending the fayre for many years.

He said: ‘I have seen it grow and grow into a real community event.

‘It’s fabulous – there’s all sorts of things going on. In my opinion, it’s an event for everyone.’

The fayre takes place between 10am and 4pm. Entrance is free.

However, organisers do ask that visitors to the event make a donation towards the costs of the day.