Check out the biggest gypsy horse fair in Europe

By Izzy Hawksworth via SWNS

Travelers are flocking to a small town in Cumbria, England for the biggest gypsy horse fair in Europe this week.

Around 40,000 people are expected to attend the four-day event, which sees thousands of members of the gypsy, Roma and other traveling communities gather.

The event, which dates back more than 250 years, was canceled in 2020 due to COVID and postponed from June to August last year, also because of the pandemic.

Dramatic drone photos show thousands of caravans parked up in the small town of Appleby-in-Westmorland.

Elsewhere, festival goers can be seen taking their horses for a dip in the River Eden - a tradition where travelers wash their horses in the river before trying to sell them.

Images also show a miniature horse pulling along two small children and a dappled mare tied up outside a pub.

The biggest gypsy event in Europe. (Katielee Arrowsmith via SWNS)

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Cumbria Police have already made a number of arrests, and have deployed up to 200 officers to the area.

Chief Superintendent Matt Kennerley said: "We always have a few hundred officers on duty each day, big numbers of officers in and around the Appleby area but we don't leave the surrounding areas with none we still push toward Kirby Stephens where we still have some encampments.

"There has been a number of arrests for all sorts of different issues as you would expect when there are higher volumes of people in the area.

“We have everything from drink and drug driving to minor crimes but nothing of note.

"It's not a representation of any community, it is locals as well as visitors to the area."