The organisers of a year-long celebration of Hadleigh’s wool town heritage have been amazed by the success of its first major event.

The Year of the Sheep festival, launched earlier this year, made its presence known at the Hadleigh Show on May 16 with its own tent.

Helped by a general sheep theme across the event and plenty of build-up before hand organiser Jane Haylock said: “We had no idea how many people would take it up.

“We had a tent with lots of people coming in and the children’s education tent was full of sheep.”

The town has really taken to the idea of remembering Hadleigh’s origins as a wool town, embracing the myriad of traditional and quirky events being run this year.

Material for decorative sheep has been provided by sponsor Cellotex with many different creations appearing in schools and shop windows.

“What is nice is all the schools in Hadleigh are taking aprt as well,” Mrs Haylock added.

Also at the Hadleigh Show was I’m a Sheep... Get Me Out of Here, a theme obstacle course which proved popular for participants and spectators.

The next YotS event is a Bo Peep picnic for children on May 31 and later in the year there will be the Hadleigh Championsheep Games, involving activities such as Dwile Flonking, sheep tossing and splosh rugby.

Full details of all events are available at yearofthesheep.webs.com.