VISITORS came in droves to Pershore for the town's annual plum festival.

Music performances, cooking demonstrations and dog shows were just some of the events taking place in Abbey Park on Sunday (August 25).

The Festival has been running for 26 years to celebrate the town's close history with the fruit.

The Pershore Yellow Egg Plum was first discovered in the nearby Tiddesley Wood by George Crooke in 1827.

Several decades later, the Pershore Purple Plum was created and became one of the most popular plum varieties in the country.

Today's events are just one part of a series of festivities leading up to the Plum Fayre Day on Bank Holiday Monday (August 26).

The annual Plum Bike Nite welcomed motorcyclists to Broad Street on Thursday (August 22) followed by the first Big Plum Cider Festival at the Angel Hotel on Saturday (August 24).

The plum festival is not just popular with residents of the town.

John Williams said: "We aren't locals; we travelled in today for the festival."

Monday's Plum Fayre is the pinnacle of the celebrations, featuring art exhibitions, a classic car show, more cookery and garden demonstrations, the plum market place and the popular plum parade featuring Trevor Harrison - Eddie Grundy from The Archers - joining a procession from Pershore Town Hall to the Claude Choules Balcony.

Angela Taylor, chair of the Pershore Plum Festival, said: "I would like to pass my thanks onto the volunteers, local businesses and organisations who make this event possible with sponsorship and their time.

"Without them, it would just not be possible."