POSTERS advertising Ledbury's October Hop Fair as a Mop Fair have been defended by Ledbury's mayor, Cllr Bob Barnes.

He said the fair was originally a Mop Fair because it was a time when agricultural labour was once hired in the street.

In the distant past, people wishing to the hired would have been holding mops, or other implements of labour, to show they were willing to work.

Cllr Barnes said: "It is a Mop Fair, the same as in Tewkesbury. It has also been called the Hop Fair, because of the hop picking. Is it a fair with several names? I think so.

"Whatever it is called, come and have a good time."

In the days when hop-picking was labour intensive, the fair would have effectively been a harvest celebration, when people would have been able to let their hair down.

The street-based funfair opens for a two day run on Monday, October 13, at 5.30pm.

Each year the fair brings in around £2000 in revenue to the town council, and this money is divided between selected local organisations and good causes.