Ottery St Mary held its annual Pixie Day event on Saturday (June 22).

Each year this legend is celebrated on the Saturday nearest to midsummer. Celebrations began in the early afternoon on Saturday 22 June, with a fete of stalls and entertainment at the Land of Canaan. At around 6.30pm the Pixies' Revenge will take place in the square.

The event was run in association with Visit Ottery, Ottery St Mary Town Council. Photographer on the day was S Eckhardt who kindly let us use his pictures.

Ottery St Mary was once occupied by Pixies. The noise of church bells was unbearable to the pixies, so in 1454 they invaded the town, capturing all the bell ringers and imprisoning them in a cave by the river, known as Pixie's Parlour.

So on one midsummer's day in 1454 they invaded the town and captured all the bell ringers and imprisoned them in a cave by the river. This cave is still known as Pixie's Parlour. And the tradition is held every year since. 

Children from the Guides and Scouts groups - Brownies, Beavers, Cubs and Rainbows - play the part of the pixies in the ‘Revenge’. They return to the church and wait to capture the bell ringers. Once captured the Pixies then imprison the bell ringers, but like before...the bell ringers escape.