THUNDER, lightening and torrential rain greeted visitors to an historic agricultural show that ploughed ahead despite the best efforts of the elements.

Egton Show may well have seen worse weather in its 128-year history, but the thunderclaps that rocked the showground this morning brought with them waves of rain that soaked both animals and visitors to the skin.

But with typical Yorkshire grit, the show went on, with plucky traders, exhibitors and visitors zipping up and getting on with the job of enjoying themselves.

Show secretary Daphne Jackson admitted that the weather was the worst she had seen in her 15-years at the helm and said she had spent much of the morning looking for tractor drivers to help out in the muddy car parks.

However her optimism that it would brighten up later in the day was duly rewarded when the rain tailed off.

She said: “It just rained at the wrong time.

“At about 11am there was a clap of thunder and I wouldn’t have come out here if I wasn’t show secretary.

“It has been a welly job alright, but it could’ve been worse.”

One exhibitor who seemed oblivious to the conditions was eight-year-old Ella Brown whose Holstein Friesian cow Gloria was crowned Supreme Champion.

Ella, whose family has farmed at Ugthorpe “forever”, showed Gloria as a calf so was particularly proud to take a title with the 26-month old heifer now in calf herself.

Another show visitor keeping his spirits up was Sgt Tom Rollinson of North Yorkshire Police’s Rural Taskforce who said the police tractor had been going down a storm with youngsters.

He added: “Shows like this are a great opportunity for us to engage with the rural community.”

The show runs at Egton near Whitby and usually attracts around 8,000 people.