HUNDREDS of people from across the county took advantage of the warm weather and turned out for a whole host of Easter events this Bank Holiday weekend.

Craig Robinson

HUNDREDS of people from across the county took advantage of the warm weather and turned out for a whole host of Easter events this Bank Holiday weekend.

At Great Finborough, near Stowmarket, excited crowds packed the village green for yesterday's annual egg and spoon race and egg throwing competition.

This was followed by the traditional “Race of the Bogmen” between the villagers of Great Finborough and Haughley.

The boisterous event has its roots in the handing out of a contract for spring sowing and planting.

It would be given out on Easter Monday and two teams of workers would vie for the same work.

The contract would be thrown in the air and the first team to bring it over the threshold of Great Finborough's Chestnut Horse pub would be declared the winners.

Yesterday's race started two miles away at Boyton Hall and the teams chased each other across adjoining fields - wrestling each other for the contract.

The team that arrives at the pub - often covered in mud - with the dummy contract is declared the winner.

Kelvin Studd, event co-ordinator, said: “It first started in 1896 and although it died out at the time of the First World War we decided to resurrect it again in 1976.

“Since then it has been going strong - I think we have had between 200 and 300 people here today, which is fantastic.

“It's incredibly important to keep these traditions alive and shows just what a great community spirit we have.

“We've had a fantastic day. Haughley won in the end. It went down to the wire and was fought out on the village green - eventually the contract was thrown out and the Haughley bogman took it to the pub.”

Mr Studd said the event was so popular that next year they are planning to do an “Old Boys Race of the Bogmen” for all those who have taken part in the event in the past.

Elsewhere youngsters got into their wellies and waded into the stream close to the River Orwell for Pin Mill's annual rubber duck race.

The event - which happened yesterday near to the Butt and Oyster pub - attracted scores of families eager to take advantage of the warm weather.

And Somerleyton Hall provided a picturesque backdrop on Sunday as children took part in an Easter egg hunt.

The traditional event was staged at the estate, near Lowestoft, celebrates its 100th year of being open to the public.

The Easter bunny brought hundreds of chocolate eggs and youngsters were able to claim their tasty treat after locating 12 picture boards around the gardens and in the ancient yew hedge maze.