Organisers improve access to new-look showground

And this year should prove no exception with organisers again hoping for bumper crowds.

Last year the show at Driffield Showground attracted a record 31,000 visitors.

The showground's layout has been altered and 40 per cent extra parking added for this year's event which takes place on Wednesday July 21.

Show director David Tite said he was confident there wouldn't be a repeat of last year's delays with the introduction of a new traffic management scheme.

He said: "Even our gates have been made wider to ensure speedier access and gates have been introduced exclusively for use by advance ticket holders only."

The livestock section has been relocated, with the vacated space earmarked for what will be the country's largest straw bale building.

Visitors will be able to study a model and plans for the Driffield Events Centre, which will be made from local straw, timber, chalk and lime.

New for this year will be a pig section. Swine fever stopped pigs coming for two years and it "never really got going again", said the section's chief steward John Johnston.

Mr Johnston added: "Yorkshire is the pig county of Britain and we always thought there should be pigs."

On show will be 65 pigs – including Berkshires, Saddlebacks and Tamworths – with the classes split into smaller numbers

with the aim of making them more manageable.

"Unlike cattle which are haltered and sheep which are held, pigs are virtually free range," said Mr Johnston. "If there are a good number in the ring, they can be quite entertaining because they go their own way and take a bit of turning."

Crowd pleasers include showjumping, the dog show and heavy horse classes while the Royal Signals White Helmets Motorcycle Display Team will provide entertainment in the main ring.

There will be over 450 trade stands.

A free shuttle bus will be available every 20 minutes between Driffield Town Centre and the showground.