MILFORD based actress Dame Penelope Keith was one of the star turns at the Surrey County Show 2016, in her new role as deputy president of the county agricultural society, which mounts the hugely popular annual event at Guildford’s Stoke Park.

A former president of the South East Agricultural Society, the former Good Life BBC sitcom star is keen to raise greater awareness of the importance of farming in Surrey.

“When we first moved here 38 years ago, the main employment in our village was agriculture,” she said. “Too many people tend to think of Surrey as commuter land.”

A record crowd turned out for the 62nd Surrey County Show, on Whitsun bank holliday Monday, at which international show jumpers competed in the grand arena, and hundreds of pedigree cattle, sheep, pigs, goats and poultry went head to head to win the coveted Surrey County Show rosettes, prize cards and trophies.

Further highlights were a keenly contested dog show and countryside arena events including falconry, gun dogs, terrier racing, fly fishing, beagles and sheep dogs.

Haslemere’s Imbhams Farm Granary was one of many regional producers using the opportunity to show more people why they should be shopping locally.