SOARING temperatures helped make it another memorable weekend for the annual Three Counties Show which once again produced a number of local success stories.

However, the scorching sun meant a number of cattle entries had to be sent home early on Sunday to avoid suffering in the heat which reached a steamy 30 degrees Celsius, while ice cream and cold drink stalls around the 70-acre showground at Malvern enjoyed a bonanza.

The grand livestock parade in the main ring was brought forward an hour on Sunday as it became too hot for comfort in the cattle and sheep sheds both for the animals and owners.

Officials say the attendance over the show's three days was once again around the 100,000 mark. Livestock entries were up and more than 700 tradestands booked in.

Main arena events included displays by the Red Devils parachute team, the White Helmets motorcycle display team, dog agility from Paws for Thought, as well as trotting racing, pony club competitions and a parade of foxhounds.

Elsewhere the crowds flocked around the flower show tent, an antiques and collectors fair and to sample and buy in the food from the countryside area.

The show also had the Royal seal of approval this year with the Queen entering one of her Haflinger horses in an equestrian class and Prince Charles putting forward an assortment of tinted, brown and mottled eggs from his Highgrove estate in the poultry classes. Unfortunately, Charles's eggs were unable to crack it, but his mother's horse came top in its category. It's believed to be the first time both mother and son have entered the show.

Peter Luff, the MP for Mid-Worcestershire, will be the show's president in 2006. He was elected at the Three Counties Agricultural Society's annual meeting on Saturday.