A 1,000-year-old horse fair which has been adopted by travellers and gypsies welcomed hundreds of people today.

Lee Gap Horse Fair has taken place on Baghill Green – fields off Heybeck Lane near Dewsbury – for almost 1,000 years.

Two fairs take place – the first around the end of August every year and the second – Latter Lee, took place today.

The fair is said to have been chartered by King Stephen in 1139, which would mean it’s England’s oldest horse fair.

Traditionally it was said to centre on cloth and horse dealing and during medieval times dealers in cloth arrived from western Europe.

According to information-britain.co.uk, the fair’s name comes from the changes after the dissolution of the monasteries in the 1500s. The local vicar, Dr Lee, made arrangements for the fair to continue, and it was named after him.

At this time travellers started coming to the fair and have continued to do so ever since.

This year West Yorkshire Police were tweeting from the event.

Insp Andy Berriman said: “At Lee Gap Fair, fantastic live traditional Irish music, sunshine out, what more could you want!”