THE team behind the biggest event in the country’s agricultural calendar have called on the Government to relax rules around term-time trips for children.

The Yorkshire Agricultural Society has invited the Education Secretary, Justine Greening, Shadow Education Minister Angela Rayner and Yorkshire MPs to the Great Yorkshire Show in July to highlight the education benefits of the event.

The move was prompted by last week’s High Court ruling which saw a judge state that unless a child is sick, absent due to religious observance reasons, or unable to attend because their school transport did not arrive, they must attend school unless the head teacher has stated otherwise.

Show director Charles Mills said: “Education is at the heart of the society’s ethos and educating the younger generations about the importance of farming is vital.

“We fear that with the current High Court ruling, less and less children of school age will visit the show unless it’s part of an organised school trip.

“We are writing to Government Ministers and Yorkshire MPs to ask them to support a proposal from the Yorkshire Agricultural Society to waive this restriction so that parents can bring their children to the Great Yorkshire Show.”

He added: “We want them to come and see for themselves how valuable the show is in showcasing the very best of agricultural life as well as supporting the farming industry.”

This year’s show will be the 159th and will celebrate food, farming and the countryside lover three days. More than 130,000 visitors are expected.