A kite festival raising money for charity has been described by organisers as an “overwhelming success”.

The Rotary Club of Royston – which has been running the event for more than 10 years – has estimated that more than 3,000 people turned out to see the displays on Therfield Heath on Sunday.

The money raised from this year’s event – expected to total around £6,500 – will be shared between the Rotary club president’s chosen charity, Alzheimer’s Research UK, and local causes.

The festival included a variety of kite-flying displays provided by the Royston Power Kites, the Great Ouse Flyers and Essex Kite Group, Team Spectrum and Stafford Wallace’s Indian Fighting Kites.

Outside the arena more than 60 stalls – largely made up of volunteer groups from the surrounding area – were set up.

Rotary Club president Clarice Wahlich said: “This year’s event really lived up to expectations and was an overwhelming success. It was a day when yet again we had the weather on our side and everyone who attended seemed to enjoy themselves.

“This really has become one of the key community events of the year and, of course, the most important event for the Rotary Club of Royston for raising money for charity.

“The displays were really amazing and certainly captured the attention of the large crowd gathered around the arena.”

During the event Royston Lions Club ran a children’s kite-making activity in which prizes were presented for the best designed kite and the best flying kite. The competitions were judged by Clarice, Jennifer Collard, president of the Royston Lions Club, North Herts District Council’s vice-chairman Ray Shakespeare-Smith and Royston’s town crier Graham Pfaff.

The winner of the best designed kite was seven-year-old Minnie Aldridge and the prize for the best flying kite was given to Katie Hodgkison, aged 10.