Thousands of people have flocked to a small town in Cumbria for the first day of Europe’s largest traveller festival.
Families were filmed washing their horses off in the River Eden as the Appleby Horse Fair begins.
The festival in Appleby-in-Westmorland attracts around 10,000 travellers every year and about 30,000 visitors.
The six day event gives attendees the chance to buy and sell horses and to meet other members of the community.
Riders were seen waist deep in the river as they rode their horses through the water to clean them up for the first day of the festival.
He told The Sun: ‘They take the horses into the water up to their ears and then cover them in washing up liquid and soap them all up.
‘They are all fully clothed as they give the horses their bath.’
He added: ‘Everyone is in a really good mood. The travellers are more than happy to talk to you about their horses, they are so proud of them and want to show them off.’
Mr McCaren said the traffic this year hasn’t been half as bad as the ‘gridlock’ of previous years.
Some keen participants turned up in their traditional caravans yesterday and camped on the side of nearby roads waiting for the fair to begin.
Signs were put in place warning nearby drivers to slow down for carriages to avoid injuries to horses and motorists.
The fair drums up controversy every year with complaints of littering in the town, violent crime and animal cruelty.
Last year police logged 23 arrests, 17 crimes and 115 incidents at the fair.
The RSPCA have erected signs nearby to remind visitors selling ‘pets’ in a public place or market is illegal.
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