SEDBERGH’S Main Street looked b-ewe-tiful over the weekend as residents and visitors to the town celebrated the inaugural Sheepfest.

More than 100 life-size sheep made by businesses, voluntary organisations and individuals adorned the streets as part of a trail through the town.

Every window was decorated with its own display – from a sheep wearing candy necklaces in a sweet shop, a tooth fairy sheep in a dentist’s surgery, and an almost life-size sheep cake outside Cafe Nova.

The competition was judged by ‘barefoot shepherdess’ Alison O’Neil and local councillor and farmer Kevin Lancaster. The top prize went to Margaret Brooks for her ‘very realistic’ Reggie the Ram.

Another highlight was the unveiling of the ‘Technicolor Dreamcoat’ at St. Andrew’s Parish Church, which contained 700 squares, each woven by local schoolchildren and containing an envelope with their ‘secret dream’ inside.

In the People’s Hall a number of stands offered crafts, taster sessions and demonstrations to interested visitors.

Jan Beale, who runs weaving classes at Fairfield Mill said: “I think the concept of Sheepfest is good for Sedbergh – it’s great to get people into the town and it’s the kind of event that will grow and grow.”

Joanne Tomlin, who came from Kirkby Lonsdale for the event, took part in one of the weaving taster sessions and said: “I’ve never done it before but I do a lot of crafts so it’s always nice to learn new ones.”

“The festival exceeded our expectations,” said organiser Anne Pierson.

“Someone said to me that they had never seen Sedbergh smiling so much.

“As the Lord-Lieutenant said in her speech, when a town is on the boundary of two counties it can sometimes feel invisible so this was a way of making an impact, increasing business for the traders and putting Sedbergh on the map.”