With a little over 24 hours to go, the wait is nearly over for the return of Great Yarmouth's annual Easter Fair.

The centuries-old attraction will be returning to the town for the first time in three years and will have a re-jigged layout due to ongoing work at the £4.7m market revamp.

From Thursday, the fair will be based at The Market Place, Brewery Plain, Fuller's Hill and Church Plain in front of the Minster.

Opening times will be 11am to 11pm all days except Sunday when it will operate between 10.30am and 6pm and Friday, where Yarmouth mayor Adrian Thompson will officially open the fair at 4pm.

John Bugg, fifth-generation showman and committee member for the Norwich and Eastern Showman's Guild, said the run up to this year's fair has been "hectic".

Mr Bugg, 65, said: "This is the first time the fair has taken place in Yarmouth in three years.

"It's been a little bit difficult - what with the ongoing development in the Market Place - but we will manage. We always do."

Mr Bugg said that the rides will be inline with prices from 2019, and he confirmed that all rides on Thursday night will be at a reduced rate of £1.50.

He said: "Everybody is being affected by price rises. But it's looking better now."

With rising fuel prices, Mr Bugg said 200 litres of fuel currently costs around £250, whereas in 2019 the same amount of fuel was around £75.

Mr Bugg said that due to rising costs, it is hard to predict what the turnout will be, but he is hopeful for the weekend.

Mr Bugg added: "I think we will have quite a few lookers as the fair doesn't have paid entrance, so people can walk through the streets and see children and teenagers having fun to brighten the weekend.

"It's all looking pretty good."

As Covid is still a concern to the leisure industry, Mr Bugg said rides would be sanitised throughout the fair.

On Wednesday, April 20, to Sunday, April 24, there will be a temporary road closure on The Conge, from the Brewery Plain entrance down to Temple Road. As with previous years, the two-day market will be cancelled whilst the fair is in town.