The rain and the wind didn't deter the thousands of visitors flocking to Alresford to enjoy the 6th annual Watercress Festival pouring into Broad Street, West and East Street. they arrived by train, car and on foot to celebrate watercress, the town's famous superfood.

The start of National Watercress Week was marked by the grand festival parade with the first watercress of the season arriving in the town and distributed from the pony and trap by the Festival King and Queen. The emphasis was on watercress with dozens of attractions featuring their own interpretation of the theme.

Nearly 10000 visitors enjoyed live music, dancing and street theatre, cookery demonstrations and the World Watercress Eating Championship. Hampshire Farmers' Market organised a special market in Broad Street with some 40 stalls offering a wide-range of locally produced goods, including cheeses, wine and cider, meats and game, breads and cakes, chutneys and preserves, lavender beauty products, plants, vegetables and watercress products of every type including watercress chocolate and watercress pate.

Prior to the festival, keen amateur cooks competed to create a new dish using watercress. On the day,Bill Witchard, the finalist faced a cook-off against award-winning chef, Andy MacKenzie from Lainston House Hotel. Bill won with his poached chicken stuffed with bacon and watercress served up with a cheese and watercress sauce and crushed potatoes and tomatoes.

Paul Bingham from Romsey's Silk Hotel and Alresford's Jennifer Laing from Cresson Creative, also demonstrated their favourite watercress recipes.

The live music was among visitors favourite entertainment with Dorset Button Rappers, the Hampshire Youth Training Band, the Pete Harris Trio and the Sussex Jazz Kings and the Alton Area Wind Orchestra's first public performance since its formation in February. Singing and dancing from Sun Hill pupils, the Hook Eagles Morris, BasingClog completed the entertainment.

Competitors raced to eat two bags of watercress and drink a bottle of water to win the 'prestigious' World Watercress Eating Champion title. This year's winner was Glen Walsh with a remarkable 57 second achievement. First to congratulate him was last year's winner Andy Hemsley and Glen commented, "I felt a bit sick at the end and I won't be eating salad for about a year."

John Cattle, Festival chairman, thanked all the local people who had helped organise the event, "Those organising the festival are all local residents who give their time voluntarily to help plan and run it, and to ensure that it remains a community-based event and we are proud to provide a fun event which is for the benefit of the whole town."

Event manager Clive Burgess said: "We had as many visitors this year as in 2008 when we had all the sun. It was magic and I don't know what it is about the Brits - we just get on with it whatever the weather.

The arts and crafts market in West Street was a hit together with the Perins School Commedia dell'Arte street performers, children's cookery workshops, face painting, scouts' climbing wall and other children's entertainment in East Street and visits to the Eel House on the river and the medieval Soke Bridge.

The sun only shone briefly but visitors and traders went home happy.