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Horse power

Swelling the population tenfold for a week in June, the horsetraders, travellers and gypsies descend once again upon Appleby-in-Westmorland. Having experienced the mayhem the previous year, we knew what to expect and were ready for the onslaught. Thousands crowd the river banks and the town's main bridge to watch the ritual of horse washing in the river. I managed to climb down onto an exposed bit of shale to get some close-ups of the latherings with washing-up liquid.

The fair itself, some half a mile out of town, is also a riot of gypsy-ness – hot dog stalls, pony carts, white leather furniture, dayglo clothing, fortune-tellers and caravans galore.

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