Axbridge Pageant is back after 12-year break

The show takes place in the village's famous square

Organisers of the Axbridge Pageant have said they hope this year will be bigger and better than ever.

Due to the scale of the show it only takes place once every 10 years, but was delayed a further two years due to the pandemic.

Lasting for two hours, it is described as an "ambitious piece of theatre" that maps out the history of the town through music and drama.

The pageant will take place over the August bank holiday weekend.

"It's not a dull re-telling of history and it's not a carnival," artistic director for the event, John Bailey, said.

"I would say it's an ambitious and sophisticated piece of theatre in many ways, which tells the story of the town and more importantly its people."

Mr Bailey said the show is still changing from when it first started and it now has a cast of more than 300 people

The pageant is performed in the town's historic square in front of hundreds of spectators seated in temporary stands.

The event features "battles, riots, fights and high drama" with live music, horses and livestock, plus a train and vintage cars.

"We've been recently recognised in the history books as the last significant pageant standing," Mr Bailey said.

"It stems from the first Axbridge Pageant, which happened in 1967.

"It was done to celebrate the town being freed of its traffic with the coming of the bypass and that's how we marked it."