ONE of the most anticipated agricultural shows in Gloucestershire has turned out to be a wash out on Bank Holiday Monday with visitors far below what was hoped for.

Around 10,000 were expected to enjoy Berkeley Show this week but with torrid showers all day, far less turned up to brave the showers.

A number of the entertainments and activities planned for the day at Berkeley Meadow had to be cancelled after it was deemed unsafe to continue in the bad weather including a gymnastics display and the bouncy castles.

However all the livestock and horse and pony competitions went ahead and many of the stalls and traders still made the trip.

Berkeley Show secretary Christine Carter said it was an “awful day weather-wise” and although she did not know how many people came she believed visitor numbers were substantially reduced on last year’s event.

“It really was very wet but we went ahead with the show and a lot of traders and competitors still turned out,” she said.

“Numbers were way down. People had to be pretty stoic to face the mud and the rain.

“I just want to say a huge thank you to all the traders and all the competitors and all the volunteers who did turn out on such an awful day.

“It’s wonderful to think they turned out and went home wet and soggy.”

“We will be back next year.”

The usually-popular event sees various livestock and produce competitions combined with entertainment for the whole family including music, dancing and even a dog show.

It also includes a number of horse events, including a hunter display, showjumping, private driving turnouts, pony classes and gymkhana.

In 2012 Berkeley Show was cancelled a week before it was scheduled to start with the fields by Berkeley Castle deemed too wet to try and move all the vehicles onto.