Tens of thousands attend Great Dorset Steam Fair

Tens of thousands of people have attended this year's Great Dorset Steam Fair (GDSF) as it returned for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic.

The event held at the village of Tarrant Hinton, near Blandford Forum, began on Thursday and will end on Monday.

The show - which is now in its 54th year - celebrates industrial and agricultural heritage.

It has made a come back after being cancelled two years in a row.

Managing director Martin Oliver said the event had been missed "massively" by many.

"Once we'd announced this year's show would go ahead, inquiries for camping came in thick and fast," he said.

On Saturday Mr Oliver asked steam engine owners on site to blow their whistles to remember those who lost their lives in the past years.

The event was cancelled in 2020 for the first time in its history due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Last year organisers said it was "unfeasible" to run the show in 2021 due to uncertainty at the time about Covid-19 restrictions.

It was subsequently given a grant of £156,000 from the government's Culture Recovery Fund to help the organisation recover from the impact of the pandemic.

About 200 tonnes of coal is burned by the engines during the five-day fair which also features 2,000 exhibits, including 250 full working steam engines.

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