Members of St Ives Town Council went for a spin last week as they hopped into bumper cars for the opening of the Michaelmas Fair.

Mayor of the town, Councillor Debbie Townsend, was joined by some of her colleagues as well as her chaplain Father Mark, as they whisked children around the ride before trying out other attractions at the fairground.

“I think the members had a great laugh at us as well as watching us, but we gave a miss to the ghost train,” she said.

The opening, which she added was “well-attended”, also saw the traditional distribution of coins ceremony where councillors roll two pence pieces for youngsters to catch.

Although the coin ceremony only dates back to the 1920s, the fair itself has origins in the Middle Ages and runs for three days in Market Hill.