IT MAY have rained – but it seems literally nothing can dampen the spirits of the current Mayor of Winchester.

Cllr Eileen Berry beamed as she and Sutton Scotney’s Henry Hopwood, four, formally opened newly-installed play equipment at The Gratton as part of the village’s annual fete.

The event focussed on children’s entertainment during the day, with professional story teller Roger Day keeping youngsters riveted with tall tales, while others took trips down the river in a canoe steered by ‘pirates’.

Over 600 then attended a music festival in the evening, by which time the weather had cleared.

Organiser Margaret Sandford said that they were still totting up how much had been made from the event for the charity which runs the Gratton, a community recreation area.