MORE than 250 people took part in an event in Simmons Park, Okehampton on Sunday to celebrate culture and arts in the run up to the London 2012 Olympics.

The Feet First celebration of the Cultural Olympiad was organised by Okehampton-based folk arts charity Wren Music as part of part of Count Me In! — the annual celebration of music, dance and outdoor arts developed in the South West for the Cultural Olympiad.

Members of Wren Music's community folk choirs and orchestras from across the county performed music and songs from Devon, from England and from around the world.

The gloriously sunny afternoon was the ideal setting for open-air folk dancing too, with people of all ages taking part.

Wren also provided fun and games for younger ones with a colourful parachute.

Other local organisations joined in the celebrations, including Okehampton Community Recreation Association, which provided a range of sports activities, the bowls club, which opened its green to all for an introduction to bowls, and Okehampton Lions Club, which supplied refreshments and information on its diverse charitable work.

Marilyn Tucker, artistic director of Wren Music, was delighted with the success of the event. She said: 'It is wonderful to be able to organise this celebration of the Cultural Olympiad and to see so many people come along and take part in the activities on offer or to listen to the lovely singing and music.

'We hope that this will be the first such event, with each year growing in size and numbers of people taking part.'