A POIGNANT tribute was yesterday paid to the memory of a gipsy campaigner during a charter fair.

For years, Romany Lawrence Wood led his pony behind civic dignitaries as they toured Yarm's boundaries, at the height of the Teesside town's annual fair.

Mr Wood died earlier this year, but his brother Logan was given permission to lead the gipsy's pony behind the VIP group in his place.

Other travellers followed in step with their ponies.

Fourteen ponies were brought to the fair, though only half a dozen, twice as many as the previous year, were put through their paces before prospective buyers.

The top half of the High Street was taped off for the so-called flashings, or showing, of the ponies, with the travellers given responsibility to police the area themselves.

Police Sergeant Dave Hill said he hoped that more ponies would be shown in future.

He said: "I think we have got to the stage where they (travellers) realise they are not going to bring their horses down for nothing.

"Hopefully, next year there will be more and it will be bigger. I hope it will increase on a year-on-year basis. I think everyone enjoyed it.

"I think we have a result from making this corral at the top of the High Street.''