AN action-packed schedule has attracted thousands of military enthusiasts to Tankfest in Bovington this weekend.

The sold-out annual event is billed as the world’s biggest and best of its kind, with organisers revealing that 20,000 people will have visited the site across the course of the weekend.

The Tank Museum’s head of marketing Nik Wyness told the Echo that this year’s extravaganza has seen visitors come from across the globe.

“The show gets bigger and better every year,” he said. “We are one of the few places that you can see current British Army vehicles in action.”

But as well as the displays and exhibitions of historic vehicles and equipment, Mr Wyness said players of online computer game World of Tanks used the festival as a meeting point.

“For us, what we have seen is a really strong link between people playing the computer game and actually getting interested in history and heritage,” he said.

“The computer game is like a gateway that opens up a whole new world of interest in historic armoured fighting vehicles and our own military heritage.

“That is partly why Tankfest has become a sell-out event from an event that used to attract 12,000 or 13,000 people – we are sold out this year at 20,000 people across the weekend.”

Demand was so high that earlier this week festival organisers were advising people without tickets to stay away to avoid disappointment.

The annual event at Bovington Tank Museum is the biggest display of moving armour in the world.

For more information visit tankmuseum.org.