NEARLY 4,000 visitors attended Lowestoft's fish fair which made a much-welcomed return to the harbour-side on Saturday. More than 20 years of tradition had been broken last summer when the fair was held in Nicholas Everitt Park because of reorganisation at the Fish Dock.

NEARLY 4,000 visitors attended Lowestoft's fish fair which made a much-welcomed return to the harbour-side on Saturday.

More than 20 years of tradition had been broken last summer when the fair was held in Nicholas Everitt Park because of reorganisation at the Fish Dock.

With the company SLP now leasing a large area of the quayside it meant there was no space for visiting vessels, including Navy craft, which had been a traditional feature of the fair.

This caused disappointment for some visitors but organiser Martyn Spore, whose grandfather was a trawler skipper, promised they would be working to make the event “bigger and better for next year”.

Alongside fish displays, including a filleting exhibition, were an array of charity and craft stalls. Entertainment laid on included performances by the Lowestoft Signing Choir - raising money for the deaf - and acoustic duo John Ward and Mario Price.

Mayor Frank Mortimer praised the fair as a “wonderful event that helps to keep an important part of our heritage alive” while Waveney MP Bob Blizzard described it as “a very special day for the whole town”.

The fair raises money for the Royal National Mission for Deep Sea Fishermen which helps the families of fishermen facing hardship - to thank visitors for supporting the charity over 25 years admission and parking were free on Saturday.

The charity will also benefit from the Lowestoft Mission Fair, being planned at the Jeld Wen playing field in Waveney Drive, Lowestoft, on Sunday, August 17.