THOUSANDS of families flocked to Abingdon Michaelmas Fair to enjoy the rides – even if it meant getting soaked by the rain.

The entertainment on Monday and Tuesday stretched for about a mile along the High Street, Market Place and Ock Street, filling the town centre with fairground rides, sideshows, food and stalls.

Visitors got soaked on Monday night when the weather was mild but very wet.

Among those enjoying the fun were Jack and Darcie-Mae Parker, both four, who hooked their favourite toys.

Jack said: “I really wanted to catch Spider-Man, which took a while, but I got him in the end.”

Darcie-Mae added: “I got Hello Kitty, so I’m happy.”

Their mum Abbie added: “We’ve been every year since the kids were born and we love coming here.”

Alfie Sharp, nine, and Ryan Matthews, 10, enjoyed a go on one of the rides.

Ryan said: “It was sick! My head didn’t come off, which was good.”

Alfie added: “It was my second time on it – it’s the best ride ever!”

Ryan’s mum Zoe Matthews, 32, from Windrush Way, Abingdon, said: “It was very wet and we all ended up soaking but the kids enjoyed it, which is the main thing.

“It’s rare you get good weather for both nights of the fair, and I always seem to pick the bad one, but it’s such a great tradition we come every year.”

Although the fair is popular with visitors and residents, its arrival makes it difficult for people living nearby to park, due to road closures and parking restrictions.

The annual fair – believed to be Europe’s longest – dates back to the 14th century and is now hosted by the town council and organised by Birmingham-based Bob Wilson and Sons Funfairs Ltd.

It started out as a hiring fair, for labourers to find work on village farms surrounding Abingdon.

The Michaelmas Fair will be followed, as usual, on Monday by the smaller Runaway Fair, staged in the Market Place.

The fair caused long delays for traffic in the morning rush-hour but road closures will be removed and traffic back to normal by this morning.