It was a great British event - on a great British weekend. The magnificent Holkham Hall, near Wells, provided a regal backdrop to the fair as up to 45,000 people enjoyed a wide variety of attractions over the two days.

It was a great British event - on a great British weekend.

The magnificent Holkham Hall, near Wells, provided a regal backdrop to the fair as up to 45,000 people enjoyed a wide variety of attractions over the two days.

From didgeridoo demonstrations to clay pigeon shooting and marvelling at classic cars to watching professional tree fellers in action, the event had it all.

Throw in a grand ring programme packed with freefall parachutists, gun dogs, racing terriers, a marching band and flying aerobatics, as well as the motorcyclists and organisers certainly delivered on their promise of 'something for everyone.'

The fair - run in association with the EDP - prides itself on celebrating rural life and the array of cooking demonstrations and food stalls offering everything from bison burgers to lemon pepper cheese to fresh cream truffles, proved popular with the visitors.

'It has been super,' was organiser Christopher Lloyd Owen's verdict.

'It is vintage Holkham. People have been interested in all the things we have put in and been really happy.'

It was a weekend of varied weather with sunshine, a healthy breeze and a few showers and in typical British fashion, the crowds poured in with kit for all conditions - brollies, wellies, sun glasses, macs and T-shirts.

'At least it has kept them off the beaches!' joked Mr Lloyd Owen.

The grand ring had about seven hours of entertainment on each day and the Tigers Freefall Parachute Display Team and the Minden Band of The Queen's Division starred in the opening ceremonies.

Every vantage point was taken in the arena for the Royal Artillery's Flying Gunners display team, whose members delighted the crowd by jumping over four cars, rode six on a single machine and had a gorilla called Cilla showing off on a quad bike.

Each day included a Holkham Country Fair children's march past and finished with a beating retreat ceremony.

One of the aims of the fair is to support charities and organisations and the main beneficiary is the Red Sock Charitable Trust.

They are a band of voluntary stewards who give their time to help at the event - and are very visible around the showground - and since 1975 have given away about �200,000 to various projects.

This year the food village was even bigger and the cookery demonstration tent had a series of top chefs on both days.

There were 200 trade stands and rural crafts around the park.

DEFRA encouraged families to adopt a healthier lifestyle and do something positive for the environment as part of the new Muckin4Life campaign.