A RARE Japanese World War II tank will be put through its paces in Dorset this summer.

The Type 95 Ha-Go tank, one of only two operational Ha-Go's in the world, will be taking part in The Tank Museum's blue ribbon event, Tankfest 2019.

It will be the first time one of these tanks has ever run at Tankfest, which draws spectators from across the world.

Museum head of collections, Chris van Schaardenburg, said: "It is fantastic to have the Ha-Go on display at Tankfest.

"I know that the majority of our visitors will never have seen one running before and we are very grateful to Oliver Barnham for allowing us to display this rare Japanese tank."

Mr Barnham spent more than a decade restoring the Ha-Go to running condition, and many of the original features have been retained, including the engine.

Around 2,300 of these tanks were manufactured by the Japanese Empire for World War II, and less than 25 survive. Of those, only two are in working order.

Tankfest is scheduled for June 28-30.

Visit tankmuseum.org for information.