East Morton residents enjoyed a gala with a real “village” feel last Sunday.

The organisers go out of their way to steer clear of commercial-style stalls in order to preserve the special “village atmosphere” that characterises East Morton and its gala.

Several stalls and games were revamped for the 2009 summer celebration however, including a football game and coconut shy.

Crowds marched in the parade sporting cowboy hats inspired by the gala’s Wild West theme and were led into the village recreation ground by 13-year-old gala queen Sarah-Leanne Dugdale who rode in an open-top sports car. Urban Circus then provided cowboy-style entertainment to visitors and a magician named Uncle Nick kept children on their toes. The Women’s Institute in the village made gala teas and residents could also challenge themselves on a bucking bronco and play games such as “roll the penny”.

East Morton Gala Committee chairman Kathy Myers said: “We took about the same amount of money as last year, the gala day is always wonderfully supported by people in the village.

“People have said to us one of the nicest aspects of the gala is that it is in keeping with the village atmosphere, it is not commercial. The money we collect goes into contingency plans for next year’s gala and also to community groups in the village. “It was a wonderful day, the rain held off and the Wild West theme went down very well.”

Pauline Horne, who judged the competitions, received the Graham Irving Trophy for services to the gala Results: Procession overall group winners, Sains family with chuck wagon and horses; individual under-sevens David Cowen; eight-and-over Maizie and Isabell; fell race, Jamie Robinson (men's), Karen Ballantine (women's).