An Inaugural Hen and Eggs Day took place at Bearfield Church, Bradford on Avon on Saturday, with visitors having a cracking time.

About 50 people attended the event, in Huntington Street, to raise money for the church’s building fund and the British Hen Welfare Trust.

Activities included an agricultural show, raffles, craft stalls and chicken handling.

Organiser Robert Beesley said: “I think everybody had a lot of fun on Saturday. One thing which I think intrigued people was the opportunity to handle the chickens, as more and more people now want to keep their own. So the event was a nice opportunity for a bit of practise doing this.”

An egg and spoon race was staged, with 40 entrants, and Mr Beesley said: “We had so many people sign up for it that we had to run two heats. The egg and spoon race may not be an Olympic event just yet, but it helped create a fantastic atmosphere.”

Organisers are still totting up the money raised by the event.

Mr Beesley said: “I think the Hen and Eggs Day was very successful, especially when you consider it was created with no guidance and we took the task on independently.”

The second Hen and Eggs Day will probably be held at Easter time in 2013.

The next event at Bearfield Church will take place on November 5 and it will be Guy Fawkes themed.