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Annual horse fair welcomes colourful carriages

News imageOwen Humphreys/PA Media Three men ride in a carriage being pulled by two horses. It has a green top and is edged with bright fabric. Appleby's stone-built houses can seen in the background as people walk along the pavement. Other, less ornate uncovered carriages follow behind.Owen Humphreys/PA Media
Horse-drawn carriages are a familiar sight at the festival

One of the biggest events in the UK's Gypsy, Roma and traveller calendar is in full swing with tens of thousands of people expected to attend the festival across the coming days.

The 250th Appleby Horse Fair began on Thursday and runs until 10 June, although the majority of activities are happening this weekend.

It sees colourful horse-drawn carriages arrive in the market town in large numbers.

The scale of the gathering means it is also one of Cumbria Police's busiest times and more than 200 officers will be on duty on Saturday and Sunday.

This year sees the force using live facial recognition at the event for the first time - a move supported by some of those in attendance, according to Billy Welch, the Gypsy and traveller representative on the fair's organising group.

News imageADAM VAUGHAN/EPA/Shutterstock A man in a horse-drawn two-wheeled carriage makes his way along a street as crowds watch from the grass verges.ADAM VAUGHAN/EPA/Shutterstock
Onlookers filled the pavements and verges as the horses ride through the town
News imageADAM VAUGHAN/EPA/Shutterstock Close-up of three horses tied up in Appleby's town square. ADAM VAUGHAN/EPA/Shutterstock
Horses and their owners travel from across the country to attend
News imageOwen Humphreys/PA Media Billy Welch pictured through the yellow spokes of a carriage wheel. He is wearing a cap and a dark coat. He has a grey beard.Owen Humphreys/PA Media
Billy Welch is the Gypsy and traveller representative on the fair's organising group
News imageADAM VAUGHAN/EPA/Shutterstock Rear view of eight small horses tied up in the market square. A group of mainly men stand the other side of the horses, most with their backs to the photographer.ADAM VAUGHAN/EPA/Shutterstock
Appleby's Market Square is one of the focal points
News imageOwen Humphreys/PA Media Horses graze in front of green-topped parked old style carriages and a caravan. In the distance is a high ridge with the point of a mountain towering even higher into the sky.Owen Humphreys/PA Media
The picturesque setting has long drawn members of the travelling community
News imageADAM VAUGHAN/EPA/Shutterstock View of an Appleby street as a several two-wheel horse-drawn carriages ride past onlookers. A number of the carts are parked on the right-hand side of the image at the bottom of a hill. Barriers and road signs tell people the road ahead is closed to traffic.ADAM VAUGHAN/EPA/Shutterstock
The event sees road closures and diversions put in place
News imageADAM VAUGHAN/EPA/Shutterstock A white and brown horse is led past a food truck by a man. The food stall is serving burgers and hot dogs.ADAM VAUGHAN/EPA/Shutterstock
Food stalls spring up to cater for the thousands in attendance

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