THE first day of the 39th Great Dorset Steam Fair was fantastic for opening day, according to the organiser.

Martin Oliver said a large number of visitors had already turned up, and would be entertained by a full programme of events including working displays and demonstrations.

The fair runs until Sunday September 2 at its annual site in Tarrant Hinton near Blandford.

It's one of the biggest in the world and attracts around 200,000 visitors.

Speaking to the Echo yesterday, Mr Oliver said: "It's going very well. It's really busy for a Wednesday, very busy for a first day. The weather is good and we're very happy with it.

"It's the busiest Wednesday I have seen for a long time. If this keeps up we are looking at record crowd numbers."

Every year the show expands and the 600-acre showground aims to have something for everyone.

Entertainment this year includes 2,000 working exhibits, 100 fairground organs, vintage cars and caravans, military vehicles, heavy horses, tractor pulling, and more.

There are separate areas for shopping, a huge number of refreshment stalls, two large craft marquees, a food hall which is home to everything from cheeses and pickles to sausages and bread, a model marquee, a motorcycle marquee, a cycle marquee and the National Tractor Engine Trust marquee.

The Granfer's Day marquee holds a selection of items from bygone years of farming, and the Dairy Collection marquee holds items used for dairy production from the past.

There is also a church marquee and Forest and Farm marquee.

In addition there is a live music festival every day, and the show has its own radio station called Steam Fair FM broadcasting on 87.9FM.

Police are reminding motorists there is likely to be heavier traffic on the roads around the show.