HUNDREDS of villagers turned out to cheer on those taking part in the annual Bampton Shirt Race.

Competitors wearing fancy dress pushed a variety of ‘chariots’ around the village, stopping along the way to down half pints of ale.

Oxford Mail:

 Members of Team Fabulous, Alex Booty and Michael Severn

The vehicles making their way through the closed streets of Bampton on Saturday evening included a Star Wars X-wing fighter, a Flintstones ‘car’ and a giant Welsh dragon.

Teams of two or more took on the course, stopping at various locations in the village to down a half pint of ale, or juice in the children’s category.

Martin Landray and his wife Debbie dressed as penguins for the event they have been competing in for 20 years.

Oxford Mail:

 James Bray, Becky Fisher, Debbie Landray, Martin Landray and Laurel Plapp

Mr Landray said: “It’s such a great community event and it raises money for the elderly folk of Bampton.

“People of all ages take part and there’s always hundreds of villagers watching, it makes a change from Downton Abbey.”

Oxford Mail:

 Participants young and old in the Bampton Shirt Race

The children’s race got things under way in the early evening as villagers lined the streets, before an intermediate and a seniors race whizzed by shortly after.

Money raised from the event will go to SPAJERS – a charity set up to help the elderly in Bampton.