WEST End’s 1978 May Day was one of celebrations as villagers in their hundreds put up umbrellas and lined the streets to cheer on competitors in a grand charity barrel rolling race.

Twenty teams wearing fancy dress, braved the wet and cold to heave weighty barrels along a maze of roads to pull in the pennies for for the village’s pensioners.

After completing a course of some two-and-a-half miles, the weary teams – who had called in to all the village’s pubs along the way – arrived at the West end Brewery Inn in record time.

The sponsored race, which had one of the highest turn-outs the event had seen, raised money for a full programme of social events for old folk in the area, including a summer outing.

It was a case of “All The Saints Come Marching In” when the winning team, called “The Saints’ Supporters” crossed the winning tape after finishing the journey in just 32.5 minutes.

They were all regulars of The Crown and Thistle public house.

In second came Southampton Arms, and in third were “Pirates” from West End’s Brewery Inn.