'The town needed it' - Festive tractors spread Christmas cheer in Fakenham

The team behind a festive tractor ride said it was important to raise the spirits of the town in challenging times.

David and Phoebe Vardigans, along with Nigel Curson, took to the streets in their festively-decorated tractors for the third time this week to hand out cones of sweets to children across Fakenham. 

The trio hoped to share a dose of Christmas spirit during an uncertain time.

They started the tractor run last year after a number of other festive events were cancelled due to Covid restrictions. This year the team took part in three routes around the town, handing out 550 cones full of sweets to Fakenham children.

The team finished their event on December 18, when they met with families in Fakenham town centre, as their brightly-decorated tractors hit the market square.

Mr Vardigans said it was exactly what the town needed, especially with all the uncertainty surrounding the coming weeks.

“It gives us a real buzz,” he said,

“You felt the town needed it, you can see it on their faces, they were so pleased they came out to see it and be involved with the festivities.

“It is just something we want to do to make people happy and with how everything is, it is what we needed to do.”

The rides took place on December 14, 17 and 18, with Mr Curson joining dressed as Father Christmas.

The reaction from the people in the town took them aback, Mrs Vardigans said.

She said: “You see a bit more on the back of the tractor and when we came down Norwich Street and could see all the children, I was so emotional, I was telling myself not to cry.

"That people wanted to come to see us and say hello, it gave us a nice warm fuzzy feeling.”

The trio was so well prepared they even had bags of sweets left.

They plan to walk around Fakenham town centre in the coming days to hand them out to businesses in the town.