Albert Linacre, the doyen of Pilton Green Man Festival, reached an undimmed 80 years on 27th June 2010. He continues to work hard for the annual event, preparing the brilliant costumes, banners and displays which characterise the festival. Here he celebrates in The Reform Inn with friends on 23rd along with a five-tiered array of green and pink cup cakes with a leaf theme from Barnstaple Pannier Market.

A long term resident of Pilton, Albert runs the Festival Office in the Pilton Pottery in Pilton Street and has been a driving force behind the Festival for many decades. As well as organising the Festival Parade he is also the man who makes many of the costumes with the help of a group of local men and women. And if you want a Green Man to put on your wall, his pottery offers lots of options.

You can see Albert riding in a coach in the Festival Parade, waving majestically to the crowds and giving out Programmes. In the photograph above you can see him making several hundred metres of red and yellow bunting to decorate Pilton Street in 2009.

In January 2012, Albert was made Life President of Pilton Festival, recognising his outstanding contribution to the success of the 30 year old tradition which is Green Man Day.