STOW Horse Fair went off without a hitch as thousands of travellers and tourists descended on the market town for a day of trade and pony races.

The popular fair, held twice a year in a field off Maugersbury Road in Stow-on-the-Wold, sees thousands of travellers show up to meet friends and trade or sell their horses and other goods.

The event has taken place for centuries in May and October, ever since a charter was granted to the townspeople by Edward IV, and this was the 538th year the fair has been celebrated.

Former Stow mayor and ex head of the Gypsy Council, Vera Norwood, said it was once again a great event with a bumper crowd.

“I bought a lovely little hand-carved figure, carved by a gypsy," she said. "It’s an old tradition.”

There are concerns that the fair may have to move from its usual field to make way for a planned new medical centre.

But Mrs Norwood said she is sure that the travellers would still turn hold the fair in Stow, even if they cannot use the field.

“It will not stop, it will never stop,” she said.

Many shops shut their doors on the day of the fair due to the town being overrun by travellers, but Gloucestershire police said the event had passed without any trouble.

A spokesman for the constabulary said: “As far as we are concerned the annual fair passed without incident this year.”