Villagers in a celebrated national park have revived a historic May tradition by bringing back a Green Man Parade 175 years since it was last celebrated.
Two hundred people in Burley turned out to see the first parade in the village since the 19th century.
The Burley Green Man Parade featured a town crier, a master of ceremonies, Morris dancing, flag-raising, drummers, a parade, a green lady and a green man.
Burley last held an annual Green Man Parade in the 1850s and 1860s. The tradition was brought back to life at the weekend for the first time after Simon Wood, 60, of Hythe, organised it alongside the Green Man Association of the New Forest.
The Green Man Parade is a celebration to help people connect with nature.
The celebration began with the town crier ringing a bell before the master of ceremonies explained the history behind the event.
Then, villagers were treated to a Morris dance and were introduced to the Green Lady, who said she was looking for her consort, the Green Man, so they could 'bring life to the forest'.
A flag was raised and the parade of people went looking for the Green Man, with drummers providing music.
Crowds paraded through the village before the Green Man was eventually found and given a crown.
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Simon said: "It went really well, we are absolutely over-awed with how the day went.
"Two hundred people came out for it, it was beyond our expectations for it."
Simon, an investigator with Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, added: "We've taken as much as we can from the past and replicated it for this parade.
"I've had an interest in folklore for decades and I've lived in the New Forest for 22 years - it's such a special place within the country and it has lots of historical stuff that is peculiar and individual to the New Forest.
"Green Man parades always appealed to me and I did some research and found a newspaper from 1852 which showed the parade, and I just thought 'that's what we've got to do'.
"Doing something like this is about the spirit of the land and the vibrancy of it.
"It gets people off their mobile phones, out of their air-conditioned cars, and back into nature.
"That's what it's all about, re-connecting with nature again.
"Hopefully people are inspired and get out and connect with nature again like the good old days."
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