Farewell to fun of Fawley festival

THE final Fawley Vintage Transport Festival ended on something of a sad note with the failure of a world record attempt.

Lady McAlpine, 79, has decided to give up organising the annual event after seven years but says she’d be happy for someone else to take it over.

The weekend festival had many rare and unusual attractions, including vintage cars, bicycles, buses, motorcycles, boats, aeroplanes, traction engines and steam trains as well as fairground rides, children’s activities and live music.

But an attempt to set a record for the most Labradors in one place at the same time was unsuccessful as there weren’t enough dogs.

Just 27 turned up, including Lady McAlpine’s own three-month-old golden Labrador Belle and black Lab Algie as well as Storm and Swift, which belong to adventurer and TV personality Ben Fogle, who lives in Fawley and was the celebrity guest of the event.

A previous attempt at the first festival in 2016 attracted 300 dogs but the Guinness Book of Records wouldn’t recognise it.

Fogle said: “It doesn’t take a mathematician to see that we do not have the numbers.”

He said there was a wide range of Labs there and joked that they could include cross breeds but even this wouldn’t have brought the total close to the record.

Fogle said it was only a piece of fun, adding: “The most important thing is we are here to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support.” Lady McAlpine said the celebrity was a “great neighbour and a better friend” and joked that his daughter Iona identified as a Labrador, “which brings our total up to a grand 28”.

Visitor Ted Grant said he was willing to pretend to be a Labrador, adding: “I need to play my part.”

Thousands of people attended the festival, which began last Friday and continued on Saturday and Sunday.

There were vintage clothes shops, an array of street food and a Crooked Billet pop-up restaurant run by Stoke Row chef Paul Clerehugh.

Lily the giant yellow duck, which raises money for Macmillan Cancer Support at Henley events every summer, was also there and visitors were taking photographs of it.

Danny Pike, from Shiplake, said: “I came here specifically to be part of the Labrador meet-up.

“My dog Storms gets on with other dogs and I knew that Ben Fogle would be here and I would love to get a cheeky autograph.”

The Stemmings family, from Russells Water, attended the show as their twin boys adore tractors.

Mum Alex said: “It’s such a perfect thing to bring the kids to. They are in awe of the vehicles and it’s lovely to be outside.

“The only problem is that our dog, Henry, does not like Labradors — he’s intimidated by them.”

Lady McAlpine said she hoped the festival could continue under someone else’s guidance.

“I just can’t do it anymore,” she said. “Even though I have so much fun on the day, it is just too much work for me now.

“People were trying to convince me to carry on going for another year but I have to stop some time.

“I love it mainly because I love cars and it is my private property so we can do whatever we like.”