Fans from all corners of the globe flocked to Midsomerland's county town of Causton - better known as Wallingford - for a weekend of indulgence.

And the main attraction over the weekend was to see as many of the pretty Oxfordshire villages as they could which feature in the TV crime series Midsomer Murders.

And where better for their first stop than Causton Theatre, which features so heavily in the series.

At the theatre - in reality the Corn Exchange theatre in Wallingford's Market Place - they were greeted by town mayor Alec Hayton and members of the Sinodun Players.

The drama group regularly provides extras for the shows.

General manager Philip Burton said: "When we read about the Midsomer Murders convention, it seemed the obvious thing to do to invite them to start their weekend here.

"We are delighted to be their hosts for a short while."

Visitors were shown over the newly renovated theatre and had their pictures taken outside the theatre and town hall.

Over the weekend, nearly 100 people took part in various aspects of the convention.

Although most were from the UK, there were five from Sweden, four from the US, five from Germany, two from Hungary, two from France, five from the Netherlands and two from Ireland.

Eva Gestrim and her mother Marianne, from Stockholm, Sweden, are self-confessed Midsomer nutters.

Marianne Gestrim said: "I am an absolute addict for the series. I watch it whenever I can."

Her daughter said: "We saw about the convention on the Midsomer Murders website - and felt it was too good an opportunity to miss.

"We have been looking forward to the whole weekend and had a lovely welcome."

Fellow Swedes Lynda Wenneson and her parents Paul and Maria Honmberg from Gothenburg felt a holiday tour with a theme was a good idea. Mrs Honmberg said: "We get to see all these lovely places and beautiful houses on the television and wanted to see them for ourselves.

"We are all Midsomer Murders fans.

"We will know just how good - or bad - we are when we take part in the quiz arranged for us."

Sally Everitt and David Lancaster came from Hemel Hempstead.

Mrs Everitt said: "We always meant to hunt out some of the locations because they are so pretty.

"But even though it's not too far from us, we never got round to it.

"So being here with lots of other people who are equally enthusiastic about the programme was a real pleasure."

The tour arranged for the groups after the visit to the theatre included a murder mystery boat trip on the Thames from Wallingford, a quiz evening at Lewknor Parish Hall, a Midsomer location hunt, a picnic at Aston Rowant Nature reserve, a steam train ride from Chinnor station and an evening meal at the England's Rose pub in Postcombe, near Thame.

Profits from the weekend will go to the Shakespeare Hospice in Straford-upon-Avon.

The president of the charity is actor John Nettles, better known as Chief Insp Tom Barnaby in the series.

None of the cast of the series was involved with the convention, but organisers hope future conventions will see some of the stars joining the visitors.