GRANGE-over-Sands dressed in its very best to celebrate the seaside town's 25th Edwardian Festival.

Dapper gents topped off their deckchair-striped blazers with straw boaters, and ladies looked resplendent in puff-sleeved dresses, feather-trimmed hats and dainty lace gloves, as they sheltered from the hot sun beneath parasols.

An estimated 1,500 people flocked to Park Road Gardens to enjoy stalls, ice-cream cones and traditional entertainments such as Punch and Judy, miniature train rides and all-day music at the bandstand from the likes of High Society Jazz Band and Amounderness Ladies Clog Dancers.

New for this year was Fylde Ukulele Band, who had bystanders singing along to music-hall numbers such as "My Old Man Said Follow the Van".

Festival committee chair Mary Ann Harris, who won the prize for best-costumed lady in a lace-tiered gown, said the day was a great success. "It went very well and we were very lucky with the weather, because in the two previous years the weather wasn't so good, especially last year when it rained most of the day."

Highlights for 2018 included free rides on a red London bus. By 1pm, Grange's Soroptimist International group had sold every last sandwich on their food and cake stall, and trade was brisk in Higginsons' locally baked pies. Social club Mothers and Others won the prize for best stall with a silver-themed display.

Festival committee member Michael Fieldhouse was best-dressed man in his cravat, pinstriped trousers and furled-up umbrella; and Grange WI donned sashes to recall 100 years of votes for women.

Among those who hired outfits from theatrical costumier Hilary Stubbs were sisters Rose Bowerbank and Margaret Brennand.

"We always dress up," said Margaret, who sported a powder-blue dress, while Rose's turquoise gown boasted a bustle and leg-of-mutton sleeves.

"When you do dress up like that it does something to your deportment and makes you really stand up straight, rather than slouching around in trainers and jeans.

"We had a lovely day, made by the weather. Lots of people came up and wanted to take photos."

Committee chair Mary Ann told the Gazette she would like to thank everyone who helped with and visited the festival and stalls, including the Explorer Scouts, who put up arches to decorate the entrances.