Common people: Thousands enjoy swooping owls, unicyclists and mascot football at popular event

Remaining true to form, there was plenty of fun, food and zany entertainment at the annual event, which drew in crowds by the masses and gave local residents opportunities to partake in a range of activities, writes Kuba Shand-Baptiste.

Children invited into the display ring to see how silently Arthur the eagle owl swoops over them

Among the packed programme of events in Wimbledon Common were an AFC Wimbledon mascot football match, a unicyclist and a Great War Society Living History World War One re-enactment.

The mascot football match cheered on by on-lookers

Having been one of the main focuses of the Wimbledon and Putney Commons since its establishment, the open day also presented punters with chances to learn more about conservation and wildlife, with the abundance of nature-based entertainment such as the birds of prey flying display.

Lurch the Vulture in a display from the Hawking Centre

Simon Lee, chief executive of Wimbledon and Putney Commons said: "It’s seen as being one of the big Wimbledon and Putney annual events – it was excellent. We had busy crowds all day long – maybe thousands of people turned up".

William Royall, 11, enjoying a kickboxing demonstration with Mark Smith of Knights Community Gym

Local and independent businesses were also championed throughout the day, with budding organisations such as the Pig Issue Foundation –a starter company with goals to establish the UK’s first pig sanctuary – giving attendees the chance to meet the company’s mascot, a rescue pig called Francie.

One of the stand-out events of the day was also said to be the Wacky Dog Show which featured categories such as dog most like their owner, prettiest bitch and an open dog race, all of which were said to have exhibited the best parts of the light-hearted, community fun that the open day has come to represent.