THE SUN held out to help make this year’s Ellingham Show a roaring success, organisers have said.

More than 20,000 people attended the annual event, which was held at Somerley Park near Ringwood yesterday.

Show spokesman Michael Ligam-Willgross said: “We thought we were going to be hit by the storm but we had this wonderful window where we didn’t have any rain at all.

“It was a glorious day. We had lots of children and families come down. We were inundated with people saying what a fantastic show it was.”

The 72-year-old who has helped organise the show for the last 40 years, said between 20,000 and 22,000 people are thought to have attended the event.

“It was very well supported,” he said.

Handlers travelled from far and wide to show their sheep, cows, horses, donkeys and dogs.

Now in its 65th year, the show also featured a variety of displays and entertainment from terrier racing, an animal fancy dress competition and a Shetland pony steeplechase.

The Ellingham and Ringwood Agricultural Society is a registered charity and donates thousands of pounds to good causes each year.

Mr Ligam-Willgross said last year the society awarded £30,000 to various local charities and groups including the Bournemouth Leukaemia Fund, the 3rd Ringwood Scout Group, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance, Forest Holme Hospice and Rotary clubs.