THOUSANDS of people took advantage of the brilliant sunshine as they enjoyed the beginning of the celebrations for May Day.

THOUSANDS of people took advantage of the brilliant sunshine as they enjoyed the beginning of the celebrations for May Day.

Live bands, fairground attractions, rides and five-a-side football were all on offer in Alexandra Park at the fun-filled family day which kicked off a weekend of May Day events yesterday.

The annual event, known as the Ipswich and District TUC May Day Festival, was so popular that by mid-afternoon people were only allowed in when others left because of the crowd quickly hitting the maximum capacity for the park.

At one stage hundreds were waiting at the gates for a chance to take part in the fun.

Prior to the event, which has been held each year since 1978, Trades Union Council supporters marched from the Cornhill to the park.

The march took place to highlight cuts in jobs, pensions and services in the public sector.

Teresa Mackay, secretary of the Ipswich and District TUC, was one of the 30 people who took part in the march.

She said: “The day went brilliantly. We had to keep closing the gates because we were reaching our maximum capacity. It's been a real success.”

Teams from Woodbridge, Colchester and the Kurdistan and Bangladeshi communities were among those to take part in the five-a-side football competition.

For full coverage of today's May Day events see tomorrow's Evening Star.