A flash back to the traditional Pixie Day celebrations in Ottery St. Mary.

Sidmouth Herald: Ottery Pixie Day, June 1971. Pixies gather in the square. Ref sho Pixie Day 1971 1. Picture: Archant archivesOttery Pixie Day, June 1971. Pixies gather in the square. Ref sho Pixie Day 1971 1. Picture: Archant archives (Image: Archant)

We found these lovely nostalgic photos from 1971 of the annual Pixie Day tradition in Ottery St. Mary while looking through the Sidmouth Herald photo archives.

Sidmouth Herald: Ottery Pixie Day, June 1971. Pixies run through the square. Ref sho Pixie Day 1971 2. Picture: Archant archivesOttery Pixie Day, June 1971. Pixies run through the square. Ref sho Pixie Day 1971 2. Picture: Archant archives (Image: Archant)

Sidmouth Herald: Ottery Pixie Day, June 1971. The Pesky Pixies gather in the square. Ref sho Pixie Day 1971 3. Picture: Archant archivesOttery Pixie Day, June 1971. The Pesky Pixies gather in the square. Ref sho Pixie Day 1971 3. Picture: Archant archives (Image: Archant)

Ottery St. Mary is overrun by pesky pixies each year in June as the cohort seek to reek revenge on the church bell ringers for their infernal ringing of the bells.

Sidmouth Herald: Ottery Pixie Day, June 1971. A bell ringer is captured by the troublesome pixies and paraded thorugh the town centre. Ref sho Pixie Day 1971 4. Picture: Archant archivesOttery Pixie Day, June 1971. A bell ringer is captured by the troublesome pixies and paraded thorugh the town centre. Ref sho Pixie Day 1971 4. Picture: Archant archives (Image: Archant)

Sidmouth Herald: Ottery Pixie Day, June 1971. A bell ringer is captured and lead from the church. Ref sho Pixie Day 1971 6. Picture: Archant archivesOttery Pixie Day, June 1971. A bell ringer is captured and lead from the church. Ref sho Pixie Day 1971 6. Picture: Archant archives (Image: Archant)

Pixie Day is a tradition dating back to 1954. The event commemorates a local legend about the ‘pixies’ being banished from the town to a cave known as ‘Pixies’ Parlour’.

The local cubs and scouts dress up as the pesky pixies and reenact the legend by capturing the bell ringers and leading them from the church to their cave.

Do you have any pictures of Pixie Day from years gone by? Get involved and share your pictures with our nostalgic Facebook group, Devon Memories.