The wet weather couldn’t keep shoppers away from Beccles’ annual Antiques Street Market on Sunday/

The popular event welcomed thousands of eager shoppers with collectables, furniture, designer items and vintage stalls on offer.

Kate Lee, market organiser, said: “It was a little wet to start with, but we’re in our sixth year so the weather doesn’t seem to have any impact on the numbers.

“People know our dealers are here come rain or shine.”

Mrs Lee and Christine Pinsent started the market in 2009 with just over 40 vendors, and now the local business women are organising the event with competitions, food stalls and their own version of Bargain Hunt alongside Durrants valuer Philip Stone.

All of the street food stalls, including the hog roast and ice cream stands, sold out on the day as visitors haggled with the 100 general and specialist dealers.

Anna Ashton of Bungay, won the event’s Facebook competition to win £100 cash to spend at the street market, and spent her winnings on a chest of drawers.

A percentage of the money made will be donated to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital Targeted Radiotherapy Appeal and Help for Heroes.

The countdown has already begun to the next market which will be held on Sunday, May 1, 2016.

And is was a similarly successful day for the organisers of Halesworth’s annual Antiques Street Market, held on the same day, attracting 5,000 visitors to the town.

With collectables from hundreds of years ago, French antiques and vintage clothes, the event helped to raise money for the East Anglian Air Ambulance.

Jo Jordan, market organiser, said: “The day went extremely well and we were so lucky it stayed fine in the afternoon.

“In 2014 we were able to distribute over £3,450 primarily to the air ambulance and then some other local charitable organisations. We are still receiving donations so don’t have a final figure from this year’s event but we anticipate we will be seeing an increase on that figure.

“We donate to the air ambulance as we are so far away from a hospital here in Halesworth.”

The street fair was extended into the Market Place for the second year running, where a display of classic cars also awaited visitors.

Mrs Jordan added: “Local cafes and pubs did a roaring trade and many of the shops were open too so it was a very vibrant day for the town with lots of new visitors discovering it for the first time and vowing to return during the year.

“As well as raising money for charity, the event has become essential to ‘putting Halesworth on the map’ and thereby benefiting local business and therefore the local economy.”

For more photos from the event visit www.halesworthantiquesmarket.wordpress.com