Fun in the sun at Beeston Festival

Free entertainment at Saturday's family-friendly event included live music, poetry and spoken word performances, arena events and sports and games for children.

Youngsters from primary schools across south Leeds were encouraged to join in a Big Sing of Bill Withers song Lean on Me at 3pm.

Lord Mayor of Leeds Coun Eileen Taylor (Lab/Chapel Allerton) was at the festival.

Coun Taylor said: "It brings the community together. It's a day of enjoyment where everyone can interact together."

Beeston Festival chair Coun Angela Gabriel (Lab/Beeston) was busy serving customers with jam, marmalade and chutneys at her homemade preserves stall , with all proceeds going to festival funds.

Coun Gabriel, said: "It is wonderful, this is our 25th year. It is an event for the whole community. It doesn't matter whether you are new to this country or a well-established Beestonian, it brings everyone together."

The Friends of Beeston Primary School ran a stall with a tombola, cake sales and face painting with all funds raised going towards the cost of revamping the school playground.

Lucy Halloway, chair of the friends group, said: "It is going really well. It's brilliant that everyone comes and support us.

"There are quite a lot of people from the school here at the festival because Beeston Primary School children are singing and some are doing some poetry reading at the festival as well."

Beeston Local History Society had a stall at the festival which was selling copies of the book Notes From Old Beeston, which features three murders and the history of the Tommy Wass pub.

The book was written by society secretary Ken Barton, 81, and illustrated by chairman Frank Goddard, 85.

Mr Barton, said: "The festival is a good thing, it brings everyone together.

"We have been blessed with good weather, which is a bonus and it is a good turnout."

The Beeston in Bloom stall was selling a selection of plants at affordable prices.

Linda Stanley, secretary of Beeston in Bloom, said: "It has been a fabulous day and we have done really well.

"We have hanging baskets all over Beeston and we have been recycling conifers ivies and pansies from the hanging baskets and we are selling them.

"We are looking forward to getting a gold medal in this summer's Yorkshire in Bloom competition to go with the gold medal we won for the spring judging."

She said money raised at the festival will be used to fund planting projects in Beeston area.

Beeston Festival is organised by a festival committee with support from volunteers.