Buckfastleigh celebrated the Platinum Jubilee with lashings of patriotic good cheer thanks to Orchard Millenium Green trustees who organised a bumper, quintessentially British weekend.

Partygoers enjoyed live music, a duck race, Royal memorabilia exhibition, a classic war vehicle exhibition and a community picnic to mark The Queen’s 70-year reign.

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Huw Cox, trust chairman said: ““There were a few nervous moments with the thunderstorms on Saturday morning but we are all very pleased with how it all turned out and would like to thank everyone who was involved in making this event a royal success.”

The Jubilee was commemorated with the planting of a tree donated by the Ashburton and Buckfastleigh Rotary Club.

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Sandra Perraton (left) and Val Browning planting the Jubilee tree donated by the Ashburton and Buckfastleigh Rotary Club (.)

Trustee Trefor Jones,in charge of events on the green, thanked the local organisations which supported two-day Party in the Park, including Buckfastleigh Mother’s Union, Devon Wildlife Trust and Dartmoor National Park.

Crowds were entertained by ‘Band Friday’ playing upbeat jazz, and Peter ‘Mac’ Dell who sang some good old fashioned hits from days gone by along with contemporary classics.

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Band Friday (.)

Val Browning of the Valiant Soldier Museum staged an exhibition featuring memorabilia from previous Royal Celebrations including local photographs.

The exhibition also featured a commemorative Jubilee book visitors were invited to sign.

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Val Browning  signing the commemorative Jubilee book. (.)

Trustees were also delighted to welcome back members of the Buckfastleigh Branch of the Royal British Legion who came armed with a collection of classic war vehicles.

The traditional annual Duck Race saw hundreds of the plastic variety rushing rapidly down the River Mardle, fighting the water currents as they went, to be the first past the post.

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The celebrations also acted as the launch event for the Buckfastleigh Action for Nature group - a new project set up as part of Devon County Council’s Life on the Verge biodiversity scheme.

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David Morbot and Tracey Hamston of the Buckfastleigh Action for Nature Group. (.)

Trustees expressed their delight at pulling off a weekend event “fit for royalty” and also wished to extend an invite to their regular ‘Tea on the Green’ events, which are now in full flow on Sunday afternoons until October.

They also extended an invitation to anyone who would be keen to volunteer and contribute to the success of the green to come and speak with a member of the team during future events.