A VILLAGE festival to celebrate life along Hadrian's Wall has been hailed a success.

On Saturday, a variety of activities, talks and exhibitions took place in Heddon-on-the-Wall to mark the 1900th anniversary of the beginning of the construction of Hadrian's Wall.

Events included a makers' market at the Knott Memorial Hall, choir performances at St Andrew's Church, a photography display at the Methodist Chapel, an art exhibition at the WI Hall, and a dog show on the Welfare Field.

The Swan pub also hosted several workshops.

Organiser Revd Rachel Scheffer, Priest in Charge of Heddon-on-the-Wall, said: "I'll be honest, at quarter to nine it was pouring down with rain, and I was a little bit stressed.

"But once the rain cleared, suddenly people just started to come out and come into the village."

READ MORE: £110m fund to level up rural communities

She added: "Already interest groups such as the photography group and the Heddon Art Group have seen new members come in, which is one of the purposes of the day.

"Everything has had a Roman or a Hadrian's Wall theme running through it, so we have genuinely celebrated this once-in-a-lifetime anniversary. It's been really good. 

"It was a fun, diverse, family day and genuinely all ages, from a few weeks old to people in their 90's, have been just out having a good time."