Thousands attend first day of Lincolnshire Show

Organisers say this year visitors can use a phone app to tour the showground

Thousands of people have attended the first day of one of the UK's best-known agricultural shows.

The 138th Lincolnshire Show is taking place at the Lincolnshire Showground - north of Lincoln.

Organised by Lincolnshire Agricultural Society (LAS), the show aims to educate people about food, farming and the countryside.

Up to 60,000 people are expected to attend the two-day event, a LAS spokesperson said.

In a first for the show, LAS said visitors would be able to navigate the showground using a phone app, which could be downloaded free on smartphones.

The event is held at the Lincolnshire Showground north of Lincoln and attracts up to 60,000 people

A number of events took place in the main ring, including a display from the RAF Falcons Display Team

The show is also hosting a qualifying round of the inaugural Farmers Weekly Britain's Fittest Farmer, with highlights in the main ring including the Shetland Pony Grand National.

Sarah Duxbury, trade and business development manager, said: "We're really excited to be bringing some fantastic new additions to the show this year. Although we love the return of the classics, we're always really passionate about making each year's event even better than the last."

It is one of the best known agricultural shows in the country

Guests also included Farming Minister Mark Spencer - who was promoting The Sustainable Farming Incentive, which aims to help farmers manage land in a way that improves food production and is more environmentally sustainable.

In a statement officials said the show's original objectives of the "furtherance, welfare and progress of the agricultural Industry and all professions, trades and crafts connected therewith," were "more important now than ever".

The event was run online in 2020 and cancelled altogether in 2021 because of the Covid-19 pandemic.