EMLEY revelled in its very own great Yorkshire show at the weekend.

Blessed with non-stop sunshine, beaming faces and hundreds of animals on display, memories of the Emley Show wash-out of 2002 when flooding forced a last-minute cancellation were long forgotten.

Thousands of visitors turned up on Saturday to experience a perfect English day out that would seemingly never end.

Such were the temperatures at the showground nestling in the rolling hills near Clayton West, children started using giant troughs supplying animals with water as make-shift swimming pools.

With her chain of office glinting in the bright sun, the Mayor of Kirklees, Clr Mary Harkin was clearly enjoying herself as she sat down to watch the famous Essex Dog Display Team in the main ring.

Commenting on the number of visitors she said: "It's wonderful; the crowd is absolutely marvellous. A lot of shows have closed down in various areas because of lack of support but this is wonderful."

Emley Brass Band performed a string of hits both old and new to crowds milling round the six large show rings or weaving in and out of countless stalls and marquees.

"This is a chance to play to our public," explained bass trombonist Carey Shephard. "Playing at Emley Show makes it more special."

Visitors sought shady patches next to grand tents while the sides of marquees were dropped to cool down both animals and spectators inside.

Taking stock at the end of the day, the show's publicity officer David Wood said: "It's been an absolute belter.

"It has been a really brilliant year for the standard of exhibits. The shire horses were immaculate."

The huge horse classes began early in the morning and finished at 7.30pm.

As jazz piano music drifted over the ground during the final dressage events, the delighted vice-chairman and secretary of the show Celia Briggs said: "It's been a very happy show and everybody seems to have been full of smiles."

She said the amount of work that went into an event on that scale could not be underestimated.

"I think it's like making a village for a day. You have got to have everything - your generator, police, doctors, vets, sanitation, security."

Following the disappointments of the Foot and Mouth outbreak in 2001 and the water-logging of 2002, the 46-strong committee has now seen two superb back-to-back shows.

Show vet Phil Dixon had a busy day.

He remained continually on the move to make sure no animals suffered ill-effects from the heat.

Staff kept a close eye on visitors' cars to check no pets were left inside.

"The biggest problem was making sure dogs weren't left in cars and various people have been keeping an eye on things," said Mr Dixon.