A UNIQUE celebration of life in the Tamar Valley was enjoyed by hundreds of people last week.

Gunnislake Festival, now in its ninth year, saw local artists, historians, businesses and organisations come together between Wednesday, July 29 and Festival Day on Saturday, August 1 to make the village a vibrant hub of activity.

Opening the week's musical entertainment was the 'Out to Grass', with live music in the open air on festival day, along with a multitude of stalls, games, displays and activities throughout the afternoon.

The Festival Group of Artists displayed a range of talents in St Ann's Church Hall and the local history exhibition was back by popular demand with its many photographs of the mining and horticultural from years gone by. The festival opened with a talk and slide show about the old Tavistock and Callington railway line by retired railwayman Bernard Mills, from Buckland Monachorum.

Then, for the first time, at the Crusade Fellowship building, there was an open day on the first century AD Roman fort at Calstock.