STARS attending the county's first Indoor Family Festival acted like a huge magnet, attracting thousands of visitors.
The two-day event at the Brentwood Centre, in Doddinghurst Road, featured Paralympic hero David Weir, ex-football stars Tony Cottee, Clive Allen and Ray Parlour, as well as boy band The Mend, of Britain's Got Talent fame.
Weir, nicknamed The Weirwolf, made a big impression on Saturday, with both young and old admiring his array of four shiny medals from London 2012.
He also put his right hand into a slab of soft clay donated by Little Impressions, run by Susan Tarbard, which will subsequently be returned to him when it has set.
Mrs Tarbard, from Billericay, said: "We will be putting the raised cast of his hand impression in a solid oak frame, together with his autographed photo, which David can auction for charity.
"I told David that together with earlier casts of Sebastian Coe and Colin Jackson at a 'One Year to Go to the Olympics' event, I have now cast three of the fastest men in Olympic history."
The Only Way Is Essex star Billie Faiers drew everyone's attention on Sunday, signing autographs for her many admirers.
Billie, 22, kept her TOWIE secrets close to her chest but was happy to pose for a photograph with Megan Parker, nine, and her cousin two-year-old Harvey Devlin, from Wickford.
Harvey's mum Denya said: "We came here to meet Billie because we love watching TOWIE because it's all about Essex girls like us."
Despite supporting Arsenal, the Winterford brothers Aaron, nine, and Nathan, seven, were happy to have their picture taken with former West Ham legend Tony Cottee and ex-Spurs hero Clive Allen.
The siblings went to the event with parents Andrew and Jackie, of Billericay, who felt they were getting their money's worth because there was so much for their sons to see and do.
Andrew said: "We all liked watching the show featuring up-and-coming singers who maybe got their first opportunity to sing to an audience.
"Our sons really enjoyed playing with the Xbox attached to a 92-inch monitor screen and making patterns filling glass objects with sand."
The event's organiser, Gary Sheridan, who normally stages antiques roadshows at the Brentwood Centre, said he had thought up the idea of holding a giant fete – only indoors.
He said: "It really gives the whole family an opportunity to have fun when it's cold and wet outside.
"My first show here seems to have proved popular so I could hold another soon.
"We have featured a giant Scalextric, live music, character appearances, including Moshi monsters Katsuma and Poppet, a climbing wall, a huge bouncy castle, and an animal workshop with snakes and bugs – what more can you want for a fun day out?"
