A PACKED all-day fair has rounded off this year’s Otley Science Festival in style.

The 2018 festival has seen everything from a microscopic safari to a talk and demonstration by a pyrotechnics expert staged at Otley Courthouse.

The six day event concluded on Saturday, November 10 with a Science Fair and then a talk, Bakineering in Space, by Great British Bake-Off finalist and engineer Andrew Smyth.

The 10am to 4pm fair saw lots of local and visiting groups, including schools, running demonstrations and ‘have a go’ activities that covered all kinds of subjects including healthcare, engineering and geology.

Nearly 1,000 people attended to the delight of one of the festival’s organisers, Dr Sue Bowler. She said: “This free family day had exhibitions, demonstrations and things to do from science and technology groups from across the region.

“You could try your hand at brain surgery, meet owls, or build something: a balloon car, a hydraulic hoist or even a pyramid, with help from the many wonderful and enthusiastic volunteers.

“The fair filled the Courthouse with scientific explorers of all ages and was a fabulous finish to the annual week of science.

“As well as the mostly sold-out shows through the week - at which Marty Jopson showed microscopic marvels, Matthew Tosh blew the audience away with fireworks and Alice Roberts talked about taming our pets and working animals - there were three shows specially for local primary schoolchildren, which went down really well.

“To top it all, the festival finished with Andrew Smyth mixing up space engineering with cake and producing a baked Alaska.”

Fellow organiser Dr Jopson, a presenter on the BBC’s The One Show, added: “I’m not quite sure how we’re going to top that but I’m sure we’ll find something new to amaze Otley again next year!”

Otley Town Council Chair Councillor Ray Georgeson and his family were among the visitors to the fair.

He said: “Once again, many thanks and congratulations to all the volunteers who organise this great event and the Courthouse for hosting it so well. There were so many things to do and learn.”