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The first-ever Bargoed May Fair brought more than 16,000 visitors to the town centre on Saturday May 13.

It was the busiest day in Bargoed since footfall counters were installed back in 2018, organisers Caerphilly County Borough Council said.

The event attracted more than double the number of visitors than the town’s Christmas fair last year.

Council deputy leader Jamie Pritchard hailed the event as a “fantastic day” and said: “I’d like to thank the public, businesses, our events team and Bargoed Town Council for their support. It was a truly awesome day.”

Anthony Strinati, of the New Continental Cafe on Hanbury Road, said: “It was very well organised, I don’t know where the council found all those people.

“People who’d never been to Bargoed said they thought it was a tremendous place, and we were very fortunate with the weather. Overall a great day in Bargoed.”

Meanwhile Sam Collins, of B Thomas Pet and Garden Supplies, also based on Hanbury Road, said the fair was “brilliant”.

They said: “It was lovely to see so many people and it was the busiest I’ve seen Bargoed town centre.”

Alex Hancox, of Gilfach-based Hancox’s Pies, had a stall at the event and said: “We sold out an hour and a half before the end of the event.”

The event follows others across the borough including the first-ever Blackwood Spring Fair on March 4, the Ystrad Mynach Spring Fair on March 25 and the Caerphilly Food and Drink Festival on April 29.