HUNDREDS of visitors of both the two-legged and four-legged variety descended on Riverside Park in Huntingdon for a fundraising day on Saturday.

More than 2,000 people were at the park on Hartford Road for the Cromwell Veterinary Group’s Riverside Gala to enjoy a wide range of attractions, including a fun dog show, a gun dog scurry, a have-a-go agility course, trade stands and demonstrations from the St Ives Dog Training Club among others.

The day has so far raised around �1400 for the Help for Hounds charity, though funds are still coming in. Help for Hounds is a UK charity which provides specially trained assistance dogs for injured and disabled men and women of both the armed forces and the civilian emergency services.

The day also celebrated 100 years of the practice’s existence in the town. The surgery was opened in 1911 by Stanley Masterman at 36 St John’s Street. It now has branches in Ramsey, St Ives, St Neots and Cambourne.

Julie Eastham, practice manager said staff were quite amazed by the numbers who attended. “It bowled us over. It was brilliant. We had at one point more than 30 entries for the classes in the dog show.

“The St Ives Dog Training Club did a fantastic demonstration to music. There were lots of dogs in a ring all moving to music.

“And Wayne Palmer from Hound for Heroes was able to go around and talk to the public about what the charity does.

“We wanted to do something for everybody in Huntingdon to say thank you for the support they have given in the last 100 years.

“The day started really as a dog show and we built around that. It gave us the opportunity as well to raise money for charity.”

A charity calendar with drawings submitted for the Pets n Vets competition and judged by Dame Norma Major is due to be published next month. All proceeds will go to Help for Hounds.