PUPILS at Alton Infant School didn’t want to go home after school on Friday. And the reason? The annual summer fete!

The school playground was decorated with bunting and filled with games, a tombola and bottle stalls, while a raffle offered £3,500 of prizes.

The plant stall arguably had the best bargains, with the chance to snap up lots of flowers and vegetables in return for a donation.

The fete also featured face painting, pitch and putt, a teddy tombola and catch a duck while the children were also drawn to the ice creams and refreshments.

Headteacher Jayne Broach was busy with her camera, while greeting parents and making sure everything was running smoothly was Alice MacKenzie, chairman of the Home School Association.

She said: “The fete is our main fundraiser for the year and from the money it makes we buy book bags for the children, take them on trips, and provide eggs so the children can see baby chicks hatching, also butterflies for them to study.”

They were also grateful to Lauren Mercy-Budd and Amy Getting for securing so many prizes and donations for the raffle.

Blessed with warm, sunny weather the fete went on late into the afternoon and it is hoped, thanks to the huge support from parents and friends, that it can top the £1,600 raised a year ago.

In expressing “a massive thank you” to all involved, Mrs Broach said: “The weather was perfect and the commitment from everyone, staff, parents and children, was amazing.

“I would like to say a special thank you to Craig Shepherd, representing Alton Lions, who drew the raffle tickets on the day.”

And she added: “There are so many local businesses to thank for their generous contributions to raffle prizes, but a special thank you to Iain Looms, from Worldham Golf Club, who donated a year’s subscription to the club.

“Of course, none of this could have happened without the hard work from our Home School Association fundraising team, led by Alice Mackenzie, so a huge thank you to her and her team.

“All in all, it was a wonderful success!”