It isn't every day you see a Chinese dragon, a talking 6ft plant, and giant dodos wandering the streets of Witham.
But at the annual International Puppet Festival on Saturday (September 20) the town was dominated by a host of weird and wonderful creatures performing to a packed crowd of onlookers at venues up and down the High Street.
Now in its 15th year, the free event appeared to be under an early threat, with the morning's heavy rainfall leaving one venue unusable, volunteers trapped in flooded homes, and organisers forced to keep the High Street open as a result of numerous road closures elsewhere.
Town clerk Mark Squire said: "The forecast had said there wouldn't be a drop of rain but there were flash floods in the morning so we had to move a couple of acts, and keep the road open.
"Some people couldn't turn up because their houses were flooded and a couple of shops in the high street too – but in the circumstances it went very well.
"It's become an established event; it's the one thing that puts Witham on the map I think as it brings people into the town, it's all a bit quirky."
The festival mixes the traditional with the contemporary, with a classic Punch and Judy sketch taking place yards away from the ever-popular Titan, an eight foot interactive robot.
Performers flocked to the town from as far afield as the Netherlands to entertain – and in some cases scare - families squeezed into the Newlands Shopping Centre, and the Grove Centre, although performances in the library had to be abandoned as a result of the flooding.
And for the first time the life-size puppets were also allowed to run free on the main thoroughfare meeting and greeting bemused shoppers.
Those who wanted to much in as well as watch could also craft their own scarecrow puppet at workshops run throughout the day, including eight-year-old Pearl Turoff,who had designed her scarecrow a very fetching pair of blue and yellow checked trousers and a feather headpiece.
"I think the puppets are really good, I don't find them scary. I haven't thought of a name yet for my scarecrow though," said Pearl.
Mum Tracey Hall added: "We came last year, it's great. It's a lovely day out for the kids."
