ANIMAL lovers young and old travelled to Thame Showground in droves to take in a feast of rural entertainment.

The Thame Country Fair has become an anticipated event in the town calendar and saw thousands flock to Kingsey Road over Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

This year it was organised by Staffordshire-based Living Heritage Events and featured three action-packed main arenas with displays going on all day.

Oxford Mail:

NPAS Benson tweeted this aerial picture of the site 

Highlights included Jonathan Marshall's jaw-dropping Free Spirits Show, a mixture of expert falconry and horsemanship, and the second heats of the Horseboarding UK National Championships - a contest focused on the little-known equestrian sport in which a rider on a horse tows a board rider on a mountain board.

Families travelled from far and wide to take in the action on what was for many the last day of the Easter break.

European truck driver Will Bogie, 43, visited on Monday with his girlfriend and her two children, aged seven and 11.

He said: "We had a fantastic day. We put our dog into the contest as a cross breed. He didn't win, but the kids loved it.

"We went around and watched everything that we could see. It was good to get the kids out of the house and enjoying themselves."

Visitors also perused the work of artisans in the Craft Village and sampled delights from chefs in the Country Kitchen and seafood from experts Crabstock.

Many spent the whole day by the World of Dogs arena watching dog display teams, sheepdog and gun dog displays.

Julie Brown, 61, whose granddaughter Annie Kenway was entranced by a group of foxhounds, said the pair would definitely visit again.

The Ruislip resident said: "It was lovely. We went on a couple of rides and the bungee jump; at 2.30pm it was crowded, especially around the food area."