AN 11th-hour operation to put down tons on stone and wood chip saved the Tenbury Show.

For the second time in three years, the elements conspired against the event but the organisers were determined that it would carry on regardless. Heavy rain in the run-up to the show threatened a repeat of 2007, when the event had to be cancelled.

So the decision was made to lay 60 tons of stones and 20 tons of wood chip on the showground.

It is estimated that up to 7,000 visitors attended the show despite continuous rain throughout the day.

“In the event, it went very well in the circumstances,” said Nick Champion, secretar y of the Tenbury Agricultural Society.

“We had some problems with the ground but had arranged to have people available to pull any vehicles out that got stuck and everyone got in and out. There was very heavy rain at lunchtime, which is when people tend to be deciding what to do in the afternoon, and this kept numbers down.

“Last year we had between 10,000 and 12,000 visitors but apart from a shower in the morning, the weather was good to us in 2008 and it was also our 150th anniversary, which added to the number of visitors.”

The date for the 2010 Tenbury Show has already been set. The event will be on Saturday, August 7.