A FEAST of Thai food and dance attracted hundreds of people to a Basingstoke park to enjoy a new festival.

The first Basingstoke Thai Food and Craft Festival was held on Sunday in War Memorial Park, and included a colourful ladyboy show.

Attractions included scores of stalls selling Thai food, such as Pad Thai, with noodles, chicken and prawns, and Massaman curry, with beef, potatoes and peanuts.

There was Thai singing and dancing on the main stage, with the biggest cheers reserved for the men dressed as women, lady-boy performers, who danced and mimed to songs such as Vogue by Madonna and Lady Gaga’s Born This Way.

Organiser Sue Mayne wanted to start a Thai festival in Basingstoke, having run a similar event in Southsea, near Portsmouth, for many years.

She said: “There is a Thai community here in Basingstoke and we wanted to bring everybody together.

“For our first year, we are happy with the attendance. People are excited and we want to do it again next year.”

Among the crowd were Laura Beech and David Bowen, of Heathfield, Brighton Hill, who said the day reminded them of a recent three-week trip they went on to the Thai capital Bangkok and island of Ko Chang.

Miss Beech, 33, said: “I think it’s brilliant. We came down here and it’s like we were back in Thailand with the smell of the food and the dancing.”

Jeanette Norman, of Britten Road, Brighton Hill, was also impressed.

The 49-year-old said: “It’s an eye opener into Thai life. It’s good for their culture and it’s good for ours.”