HUNDREDS of people showed off their creative headgear as prizes were given out at this year’s Bridport Hat Festival.

Those attending the seventh annual event on Saturday largely escaped the forecast rain, until the heavens opened once the iconic mass photo was taken and prizes were handed out for the best hats.

Prizes were awarded for the best couple’s hats to Geoff Bell and Alison Johnson for their bee-inspired duo of hats. Alexandra Robb was named winner of the best woman’s entry for her birdcage-themed hat, inspired by her trip to Romania earlier this year.

Awards were also handed out to youngsters for their creations, as well as the best hatted dog, while live music was on offer throughout the day in Bucky Doo Square and Millennium Green.

Matthew Count, Hat Festival organiser, said: “Bridport’s seventh Hat Festival went ahead with more than a few fingers crossed for the weather forecast to be wrong - and the massed power of thought seemed to have paid off.

“The huge crowds of enthusiastic hat wearers with some fantastical creations enjoyed the usual stunningly high standards of music.

“The fun hat competitions, including the best-hatted dog, made life hard for the judges with such a variety of home-made headgear displaying mind-boggling feats of imagination and creation.

“One gent’s hat looked as though he was wearing a small unkempt hedge, and another was a realistic model of a giraffe stretching several feet above the wearer. Bridport really does have talent.”

The Milliners and Hatters Open Competition took place at the Town Hall.

This year, the first prize of £500, was won by Bryony Tayler. Jennifer Rowley won the second prize of £250 and Emily Molyneux took third place.

Mr Count added: “The serious side of the hat festival – the millinery competition – attracted entries from across the country which even those unfamiliar with millinery could see were beautifully designed and executed.

“With substantial prizes for the winners, the contestants had some tough competition.

“The centre piece of the day, the mass-hatted photo, went to plan and the huge crowd in Bucky Doo raised their hats for the cameras, recording for posterity a day of fun, frivolity, serious millinery and all done whilst raising money for charity.

“The final figures for the amount raised are yet to be totted up, but are sure to make a real difference to the lives of many people. Well done Bridport.”

Bridport’s own dance and music company of adults with learning disabilities, No Limits, created a piece of carnival dance and music for the Hat Festival. No Limits Band led by Andrew Dickson, led a procession from Bucky Doo Square into Borough Gardens where people of all ages and abilities performed a short piece of dance theatre.