MORE than 2,000 people had a pipping good time at Lacock Abbey’s seventh annual National Trust Apple Day on Sunday.

At the event, which ran from 10.30am to 4pm, there were around 150 varieties of apple on display which were used to help visitors identify old and rare types of apples they brought with them.

The Abbey’s head gardener Sue Carter said: “Everybody had a great time. There were so many fun things going on.

“One of my personal highlights was helping an old couple who brought three different types of apples with them. I helped them identify them and now they know what apple trees they have growing in their garden; that was quite rewarding.”

Throughout the day Ms Carter and other experts gave talks and led tours for visitors to help them learn more about apples.

Attractions included an opportunity for visitors to press their own apples, a selection of stalls, a live performance from a band called the Cherry Pickers and a lecture by a local beekeeper.

Ms Carter said most stalls sold out of their stock and 150 litres of cider were sold.

She said: “We are so happy, we’ve basically sold out of everything. It just shows we have, again, put together a good event.

“There was something for all the family. Children could press apples, while adults could enjoy some live music and sample our cider.”

After the event Ms Carter led a large clean-up operation of the site.

She said: “It is a pretty big job cleaning it up, but it was all worth it. We had a terrific day and the weather was perfect, too.”