Glamorous dancers, a popular television star and a selection of beautiful birds and farm animals brought variety and excitement to Saturday's Cippenham Carnival at the Mercian Way recreation ground.

Actor Will Mellor - star of Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps - launched the carnival in flamboyant style. His wife Michelle McSween who runs a performing arts school had her own stall there.

A display by Aetna Virsa Bhangra saw visitors to the carnival invited to try out the steps and movements of this traditional dance from the Punjab, while members of the Shimmies and Sparkles School of Belly Dance from Eton amazed by their beautiful costumes as well as their dance steps.

Two vintage 1930s Packard cars and a modern Lamborghini donated by a villager proved a big attraction for car loving visitors.

There were birds of prey to watch and farm animals for the children to pet.

A variety of food and craft stalls kept people spending with a number of charities represented.

The Berkshire Family History Society stall was a particular attraction.

Ken Houghton from the carnival organising committee is a member of the society.

He said: "We had a display of old photographs of the village, some of which we did not even recognise ourselves.

"Older villagers were able to tell us where they were.

"Many of them recognised the old school on the corner of Lower Cippenham Lane which they had gone to and which has long been replaced by new buildings."

Cippenham scouts supplied the tents and put them up.

This year's chosen charities to benefit from the carnival were Thames Hospice and the Slough Samaritans.

Slough's MP Tan Dhesi and the mayor Cllr Avtar Kaur Cheema were among the visitors.

PHOTOGRAPHS: COURTESY GARY HOUSE PHOTOGRAPHY.CO.UK