COUNTRY life in all its guises took centre stage at one of the Yorkshire Dales greatest agricultural shows.

Now in its fourth year, Dentdale Show 2009 proved the most successful to date, attracting more than 2,000 people from all over the country.

Matthew Clayton, chairman of the show committee, said he had received fantastic feedback from showgoers, adding: “The rain didn’t appear until the last hour of the final day and the field held-up well.

"It was a real success, with numbers definitely up on last year.”

This year, hay bale rolling, drystone walling, birds of prey display demonstrations, sheepdog trials and a championship fell race, were just some of the activities that took place during the three-day rural spectacular.

There were also plenty on offer for children, including giant inflatables, face painting, craft competitions and welly skiing.

Food lovers, meanwhile, were spoilt for choice, with stalls overflowing with delicious delicacies and locally produced treats.

Similarly, the impressive craft displays provided a feast for the eyes and the perfect forum for local artists to publicise their work.

Mr Clayton said the show, which took place over the weekend, had been growing in size and popularity year-on-year –a trend he hopes will continue in 2010.

“We are already planning next year’s event and we hope to make it even bigger”, he said.

“We are going to increase the food area and maybe introduce a circus.

"It is a really important event in Dentdale and the community has really got behind it. This year there were around 100 local people helping out.”