KING Stephen and Queen Matilda may have been sworn enemies when they were in Wallingford in the 12th century, but the 21st century saw them riding amicably side by side through the town as part of the Medieval Night last Thursday.

Despite the rain, they paraded at the head of their retinue and stopped outside the town hall to watch mayor Betty Atkins switch on the town's Christmas lights. They were followed by knights in armour with drawn swords, street musicians, entertainers, dancers and clowns. And - not quite historically correct - there was Father Christmas in a donkey cart.

Stallholders, many of them were in medieval costume, offered food to hungry revellers and the Regal Centre played host to charity stalls.

The event was organised by Wallingford Business Partnership, whose chairman Elaine Hornsby donned full medieval costume for the night, but with the modern addition of mobile phone and walkie-talkie.

She said: "We are pleased at the turnout despite the weather. But the wind and rain meant we had to cancel the planned fireworks."

The Medieval Night, which succeeded the Victorian Evening last year, marked the start of the run-up to Christmas for traders who are looking for a bumper year.

Mrs Atkins presented the awards for the best dressed window competition run by Wallingford Rotary Club, £50 to the winners of each category, which is then donated to charity.

For the window display containing the things the shop naturally sold, the winners were florists Branching Out in Market Square, followed by Trellis in St Martin's Street, Village Fabrics in St Leonards Square and First Edition in Market Place.

In the section for the purely imaginative window dressing, the prize went to Down To Earth, in St Martin's Street, with Hedges solicitors second.

The money goes to Helen House hospice, Oxford, and Footsteps, a charity which helps young people with muscular and neurological disorders.