A MERCIFULLY dry Sunday made up for Saturday’s wash out with thousands enjoying rural fun at the Dorset County Show.

Torrential rain curtailed much of the outdoor spectacles the Dorset County Show had on offer when it hit the county at around 2.30pm on Saturday.

Visitors began leaving in droves or taking refuge in one of the many tents offering food, drink, music and a brush with farm life until the showers subsided.

The crowds at day two however, proved few were phased by the previous day’s downpours.

 Rebecca Hill, the vice chairman of the Dorset County Show committee, said: "Every year, of course, we have a few issues and problems, but we've got here and have put on an amazing show.

"The heavy horses have gone down really well.

"We've changed the layout of the show ground this year and on Friday night when the lights were lit up it looked fantastic."

Alastair Cowen, director of the show, said: "I think all the new arrangements have worked really well.

"This year we are celebrating its 175th birthday.

“Of course, it has changed enormously. The show has grown to become a massive thing with a vast number of people attending, many coming year after year.

“It is run by around 350 volunteers and there is a strong feeling that this is an important event to Dorset life.

“Our chairman Wakely Cox is a fine example. He’s held the show together and he has got two brothers that are section chairmen, then we have their children who are heavily involved in the show.

“It’s a really family thing.”

Diane Wood, from Weymouth, who visited the showground with her grandson Tom Hooper, said: “We’ve been here before but we really wanted to bring the kids, for them to see all the animals and the farming side of things.

“They were absolutely loving it – really enjoying themselves.”

Willem Veltman, whose son of the same name tried his hand at bell ringing in the Dorset Church Marquee, said: “We have been here before about two years ago, and I came about eight years ago.

“Last year, we went to the steam fair and this year we came here.

“We like it. It’s a good crowd and fascinating to see at the cart horses and other farm animals.

“Some of the bells are four tonnes, which you don’t realise when you stand below them.”