ORGANISERS of The Royal Lancashire Show say they are confident that next month’s event will be the start of an exciting new chapter following a decade of problems and cancellations.

The event, run by Royal Lancashire Agricultural Society, will feature an educational theme instead of livestock competitions.

Organisers say that despite a forecast of rain for the coming days, they have put additional measures in place to ensure it will not be a washout.

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David Marriott, secretary of the society, said: “We are excited that the show is coming back and we are having a different format this year. We want to appeal to younger people and show them where their food comes from. There are some children who do not know what a cow or a sheep is and we want to address that. People will be able to talk to breeders about how their animals are reared and kept, and supermarket managers will talk about how food goes from the field to the plate.”

This year sees the first time the show has been held since a reduced programme of events at Witton Park, Blackburn, in 2012. It returns to its previous venue of Salesbury Hall, Ribchester.

The event is the oldest show of its kind in the country but has been plagued by troubles since 2006, the last time a full event was put on.

It was cancelled from 2007 to 2009 due to wet weather and bosses’ rows about where it should be held, and had to sell off trophies dating back hundreds of years to stave off bankruptcy in 2010.

Mr Marriott said: “We had torrential rain for about 20 days in 2007 and it was unfortunate that we had to cancel. The ground is made up of gravel and sandstone so with normal rain it acts like a sponge and is usually fine to drive and walk on.

“We have got extra access provision this year, with a metal roadway for heavy vehicles, and there will be plastic walkways for pedestrians.”

The visitors’ car park is across the road from the entrance, and there will be 60 marshals on site to provide assistance. There will be show jumping and agricultural displays, duck herding, military vehicles, ferret racing, and flower-arranging demonstrations by ITV show This Morning’s Carl Wilde.

Mr Marriott said: “We want to make the link between urban and rural lifestyles.

“I am convinced that it will be a great show.”

The show will be held from August 7 to August 9.

See www.royallancs.co.uk for more details.