TANKS thundered over the countryside and you could have been forgiven for thinking the Third World War had started.

Military might from the past 65 years exploded onto the Purbeck landscape as the giant tank festival at Bovington got under way.

And the chance to see tanks that were in service before, during and after the Second World War proved a huge draw as organisers battled to cope with three times more visitors than they had expected.

The second Tankfest at the Tank Museum, in Bovington, saw 5,000 people come to see the tanks rolling around the outdoor circuit.

"I don't know why we attracted so many but it did stretch us to the limit trying to cope. It was a fantastic day and people could see we were stretched and remained quite patient," said David Butt, commercial manager.

Pyrotechnic explosions added a touch of realism as the tanks were put through their paces.

Throughout July and August the Museum will be holding "Tanks in Action" events on Thursdays at noon and also on Tuesdays from July 23.