The annual Soho Village Fete took place in the heart of the West End this afternoon, delighting all who visited with good old-fashioned entertainment and charming silliness (July 16).

Held in the grounds of local church, St Anne's, and the centre of the community, guests enjoyed snail racing, live music, splat the rat, the famous human fruit machine and much more.

The dramatic snail races drew in the young and the old alike, as the nail-biting contest lasted as long as 15 minutes each, with slimy competitors named 'Killer Killer from Peckham', 'Sally' and 'Brian', slithered the wrong way, refused to move, became over-familiar with each other and needed help being separated with a 'cold shower'.