MORE than 250,000 buffs are descending on the county for the Great Dorset Steam Fair.

There will be displays and demonstrations of steam and vintage machinery and engines during the 41st annual event at Tarrant Hinton on September 2 to 6.

There will also be music, live bands, entertainment, a fun fair with showmen’s engines and modern rides, vintage cars and lorries, 700 stalls and stands, food and drink tents and campsites.

Police have warned motorists of congestion as coaches, campers and travellers hit the showground next to the A354 at Southdown, near Blandford.

Julian Hubbuck, operations manager for the fair, said: “Every effort is being made to reduce congestion and delays but with so many people expected it is inevitable that some congestion will occur.

“If at all possible, we strongly advise all non steam fair traffic to use an alternative route and to avoid the A354 Blandford to Salisbury Road near Tarrant Hinton.

“If you have an urgent journey to make, a ferry to catch or any other appointment to keep, please plan ahead and allow extra time for your journey. We would also like to advise motorists that from Saturday, August 29, our exhibitors will start to arrive.

“A number of exhibits make their own way by road and some of these are very slow moving vehicles, such as steam engines.”

Roads which will be particularly affected will be the A354 and the A350, although all routes in and around Blandford and the town centre itself are likely to experience considerable congestion.

Inspector Robert Jacobs, of Dorset Police, said: “This is a major event attracting an expected quarter of a million visitors over the five-day period and congestion is inevitable – particularly while the show is in progress.”

THERE will be an authorised gypsies and travellers’ site for the fair on land at Tarrant Hinton near Blandford.

The site will be open for three weeks and has planning permission for the next three years. Up to 100 caravans can pay a fee to stay on the site, which has a temporary toilet, refuse collection and drinking water facilities, and is managed on a 24-hour basis.

The site is aimed at cutting the number of unauthorised encampments in the area.