A VILLAGE fete drew record crowds to Comberbach on Saturday.

More than 1,700 people attended Comberbach Fete, with visitors queuing for 20 minutes to get into the school field to watch the crowning of this year's rose queen.

Mark Williams, the fete committee chairman, said: "We certainly broke the record on takings and estimate that we had 1,700 people this year.

"We had to have two gates coming in and it must have taken us 20 minutes to get everyone in.

"There was a fair old queue for beer - 20 or 30 people long at some points.

"Great Budworth Ice Cream Farm were there but they had to go back for more ice cream twice, they said they'd never seen it like that."

The event was officially opened by villagers Helen and Chris Chrimes, who have hosted previous guests invited to open the event for a number of years.

Mollie Ashford was crowned this year's rose queen.

Mark said: "She made a little speech and was absolutely chuffed to bits to be queen."

Mollie's charity for the year will be the Newborn Appeal.

Mark said he thought the simple crowning ceremony was still a big draw to the fete.

"People still like the traditional ceremony of the rose queen crowning, it's hanging on to traditional England," he said.

"That and the fact that the beer's cheap," he joked.

"We are proud of what we've achieved in this little village.

"It makes Midsomer Murders fetes look silly and I'm sure if they every wanted to film here they would look like they'd got a proper fete."