COMMUNITY spirit shone through as hundreds came together to celebrate rural and country life at one of south Cumbria's most popular agricultural events.

In awful weather conditions, Lowick Show returned on Saturday for its 159th year and was a roaring success as all the events and classes went ahead as planned despite the deluge of rain.

More than £2,000 was handed out in prize money as competitors took part in a range of classes involving working sheep dogs, cattle, horses, sheep and hound trails.

At this year's show, which is affectionately known as "L'al Royal," a concours d'elegance horse class was held which saw riders take to the arena wearing stylish outfits.

For canine lovers the popular novelty dog competition returned for another year as show-goers voted in categories such as the most obedient dog, the dog in the best condition and the dog the judge would most like to take home.

For those wanting to stay dry, there were also plenty of indoor activities as a range of craft and food stalls were set up in large marquee tents across the site.

Sheila Saunders is the chairwoman of the ladies committee and was involved in dishing out the prizes for the best food and craft produced on the day.

The 74-year-old from Spark Bridge has been involved in the organisation of the show for 40 years and first attended with her parents in the 1940's when she was just five years old.

She has seen the farming extravaganza come on leaps and bounds over the course of her lifetime and was glad to see so many people turn up in their droves despite the poor weather.

"We have changed quite a lot over the years," Mrs Saunders said. "We've made it a lot more modern as we used to just have bare wooden tables to put the entries on but now we've got plastic ones and nice tablecloths too.

"But what the show is all about hasn't changed one bit and it's been great to see it get more and more popular every year.

"We have not had the weather that we wanted today but we have still enjoyed lots of success. Everybody still turned up in their hoodies and we have still put on a fun display for everyone.

"I absolutely love being a part of it and I am keen to carry on getting involved. I will always be here to help out if they ever need me."

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This year saw a high number of local children get involved as they produced cakes and treats as well as quirky pieces of art which were entered into a number of competitions.

Peggy Carrick, seven, from Penny Bridge, who collected a handful of trophies in various competitions, said: "I'm very excited and happy. I enjoyed making all of the cakes and I'm glad that all the hard work paid off."

To mark the traditions of the area, the show was rounded off with a spot of Cumberland and Westmorland wrestling as well as a classic tug of war.

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