GLORIOUS sunshine brought crowds to hunt down dozens of colourful cows around Amberley at the weekend to help raise funds for livestock in Africa and the school.

Families of Amberley decorated 33 weird and wonderful cows as the bank holiday weekend saw the return of Amberley Parochial School’s annual Cow Hunt, celebrating the forthcoming arrival of the real ones.

The wooden cows were dotted around the village, Minchinhampton Common and the surrounding parish as families arrived to start the hunt, on both Saturday and Sunday afternoon.

Over 1,000 maps were sold with a turnout of around 3,500 people to the picturesque village.

Visitor’s made sure the vintage tea tent worked flat out selling homemade cake and teas all weekend.

Face painting and other activities were underway alongside a Cow Hunt quiz.

Quiz sheets and trail maps were sold and funds raised will go to help the school buy outside play equipment, as well as Send a Cow which provides livestock for families in Africa.

Deborah Kakoz, chair of the cow hunt committee said: “We were over the moon to have another sunny weekend for our Cow Hunt and so thrilled with the amount of local support and folk enjoying the trail and the teas.

“It was a huge team effort and great fun.”

The real cows will be released back onto Rodborough and Minchinhampton Commons later this month.