Town braces for more violence as 10,000 travellers arrive for notorious Appleby Horse Fair

The infamous Appleby Horse Fair is set to return to Cumbria in June this year, leaving the town’s residents in fear of a repeat of last year’s violence. 

The annual fair, which has been running since 1775, is held by travellers and gypsies, who attend the event in their thousands.

And a local grandfather, known only as Patrick, 61, has told how he was brutally beaten by travellers at the event last year after he accidentally hit a three-year-old boy who ran out in front of his car. 

The infamous Appleby Horse Fair is set to return to Cumbria in June this year, leaving the town’s residents in fear of a repeat of last year’s violence

The annual fair, which has been running since 1775, is held by travellers and gypsies, who attend the event in their thousands

The annual fair, which has been running since 1775, is held by travellers and gypsies, who attend the event in their thousands 

The boy was left with a broken arm. 

Patrick, a local shop owner, was then dragged from his vehicle and beaten up by a group of men who left him with broken vertebrae, black eyes and a bruised head, neck, spleen, liver and kidney. 

He believed he was going to be killed and that a passing off-duty policeman saved his life. 

In an interview with the Sunday Times he said: ‘They weren’t stopping. At that point they weren’t listening they were just kicking and punching me’.

Last year a local shop owner, Patrick, 61, accidentally hit a three-year-old unofficial traveller who ran out in front of his car.

Last year a local shop owner, Patrick, 61, accidentally hit a three-year-old unofficial traveller who ran out in front of his car.

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The grandfather (not pictured) was then dragged from his vehicle and beaten to within an inch of his life

Patrick has decided to close up shop and leave town for the duration of the fair, which sees 10,000 gypsies and travellers trade horses and livestock between June 6-9. 

Head gypsy Billy Welch said: ‘In the hundreds of years this fair has been going, an attack like that has never happened before. 

‘It’s unfortunate because it creates headlines that are not a fair reflection of the truth.’

Cumbria’s police and crime commissioner, Peter McCall, reportedly told residents that he would ban the fair if he ‘had a magic wand’. 

Last year saw 23 arrests, 117 crimes and 115 incidents logged by police. 

Patrick (not pictured) has decided to close up shop and leave town for the duration of the fair, which sees 10,000 gypsies and travellers trade horses and livestock between June 6-9

Patrick (not pictured) has decided to close up shop and leave town for the duration of the fair, which sees 10,000 gypsies and travellers trade horses and livestock between June 6-9

Head gypsy Billy Welch said: 'In the hundreds of yeras this fair has been going, an attack like that has never happened before'

Head gypsy Billy Welch said: ‘In the hundreds of yeras this fair has been going, an attack like that has never happened before’

Although these numbers represent a three-year high for the fair, they are nothing compared to the 2009 event which saw a whopping 106 arrests, 54 crimes and 244 incidents. 

Residents of a small parish called Kirkby Stephen were left enraged when they were forced to close their main road because travellers use it to race horses.  

While in general locals seem to find the horse fair frustrating, some sing the praises of what they call ‘proper gypsies’. 

Former landlord Chris Wilson, 66, said he has his hand ‘shaken more times in that week than the whole year round’. 

Cumbria's police and crime commissioner, Peter McCall, reportedly told residents that he would ban the fair if he 'had a magic wand'. Last year saw 23 arrests, 117 crimes and 115 incidents logged by police.

Cumbria’s police and crime commissioner, Peter McCall, reportedly told residents that he would ban the fair if he ‘had a magic wand’. Last year saw 23 arrests, 117 crimes and 115 incidents logged by police.

Residents of a small parish called Kirkby Stephen were left enraged when they were forced to close their main road because travellers use it to race horses

Residents of a small parish called Kirkby Stephen were left enraged when they were forced to close their main road because travellers use it to race horses

While in general locals seem to find the horse fair frustrating, some sing the praises of what they call 'proper gypsies'

While in general locals seem to find the horse fair frustrating, some sing the praises of what they call ‘proper gypsies’

Former landlord Chris Wilson, 66, (not pictured) said he has his hand 'shaken more times in that week than the whole year round'

Former landlord Chris Wilson, 66, (not pictured) said he has his hand ‘shaken more times in that week than the whole year round’

Mr Wilson agrees that the fair-goers do get rowdy but claims that there are usually older gypsies on hand who keep the younger ones in check. 

He said: ‘The gypsies are some of the best people you can ever hope to meet’. 

He believes that the trouble of recent years comes from ‘wannabes’ – visitors pretending to be gypsies. 

Charlotte Gordon, 42, who owns the Sugar and Spice sweet shop, loves the fair and thinks it’s the best week of the year. 

Charlotte Gordon, 42, who owns the Sugar and Spice sweet shop, loves the fair and thinks it's the best week of the year

Charlotte Gordon, 42, who owns the Sugar and Spice sweet shop, loves the fair and thinks it’s the best week of the year

More than 40,000 people, including gypsies, travellers and visitors descend on the Cumbrian town of Appleby for the annual fair

More than 40,000 people, including gypsies, travellers and visitors descend on the Cumbrian town of Appleby for the annual fair

While there are residents who enjoy the annual fair, other pub and shop owners will be closing for the duration of the weekend

While there are residents who enjoy the annual fair, other pub and shop owners will be closing for the duration of the weekend

She says that while some shops wont let the gypsies or travellers in, she believes that this attitude encourages bad behaviour. 

She said: ‘If you treat someone like an animal they’re going to act like an animal’. 

While there are residents who enjoy the annual fair, other pub and shop owners will be closing for the duration of the weekend. 

Allsorts convenience store owner, Sue Spence, said: ‘It’s just not worth it’. 

What once started as a way for gypsies and travellers to catch up and trade horses and livestock in a calm setting, has now morphed into an excuse for violence and criminal behaviour.  

While Ms Spence said she had never had a problem with ‘proper gypsies’, she said the ones who tag along cause problems. 

King James II granted a Royal Charter in 1685 allowing a horse fair to be held ‘near the River Eden’, and is unofficially believed to have started then. 

Every year thousands of travellers come from around Britain and the rest of the world to take part. 

Traditionally they bathe the horses in the River Eden before grooming them and riding them fast along the ‘mad mile’ to show them off to potential buyers.

As well as horses, the fair also features market stalls selling food and other merchandise as well as fortune telling, palm reading and other live entertainment. 

In 2012 the fair was featured in the hit TV series My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding – known for publicising the term ‘grabbing’. 

Grabbing is the act of a traveller boy physically pulling a girl towards him that he wants to kiss. It looks violent but most traveller girls will accept the ritual as part of their culture.

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