Fine feathered fun day friend

4:53pm Wednesday 8th October 2008

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Thousands of people descended on the Oxford Canal to celebrate Banbury's fifth annual Canal Day.

The waterway was brought alive with a host of free family fun, including horse and cart rides, a falconry display — where six-year-old Ally Kingston made friends with Inca the kestrel — a giant inflatable fun-house, bungee jumping and mobile climbing wall.

Despite wet weather, people turned out in their droves to take advantage of the town council event, with the theme was Transport through the Ages.

About 40 decorated boats lined the towapth in the town centre, setting the canal ablaze with colour.

In Bridge Street there were vintage cars and a Sealed Knot encampment, with Irish, Scottish and morris dancers and African drummers entertaining the crowds.

Tooley's Boatyard threw open its doors for people to see historic engines and traditional crafts including wool spinning, weaving, a blacksmith and potter operated under the boardwalk next to Tooley's.

People took free boat rides along the canal and browsed in a continental market just outside Sovereign Wharf.

Mayor Ann Bonner said: "It was a wonderful day. Everyone was in high spirits, we had an enormous amount of fun."