Organisers of one of the county’s most popular rural events fear roadworks on a key route to the showground could be disruptive.

The team behind the East Kent Ploughing Match is frustrated that drainage work, first identified at the beginning of the year, will be undergoing repairs next week when the event takes place near Canterbury.

More than 3,000 visitors are expected to travel to Hardres Court Farm in Upper Hardres on Wednesday, for the annual celebration of farming and rural life.

But roadworks in Hardres Court Road, near its junction with Bursted Hill, which many motorists would have used to access the site, will be underway. This is despite organisers flagging up the event with Kent Highways some months ago.

“There’s no doubt it’s a pain,” said event chairman Patrick Overy.

“The ploughing match has been months in the planning and we provided our highway proposals through our traffic consultants to KCC well in advance.

“So it’s very frustrating that despite us flagging up our event, the road is still being dug up.”

KCC says drainage works will start on Monday and last for five days.

A spokesman explained: “The road is currently flooded, with a water leak adding to the problem, so it is important these works are not delayed.

“Specialist contractors are required and our team has been ensuring the site is safe with appropriate traffic management in place.

“We have been in contact with the organisers of the East Kent Ploughing Match and suitable arrangements have been made to accommodate the event on the 27th to ensure this still goes ahead as planned.

“We understand the closure will cause some inconvenience to the travelling public, but we will continue to work with the organisers to ensure the event runs as smoothly as possible on the day.”

A spokesman for South East Water added: “We are aware of a leak in the same location and will contact our contractor’s highways team to schedule a collaborative repair to reduce disruption in the area.”

The route would have been the one most likely to be taken by visitors coming in across country from the Stelling Minnis direction.

But ploughing match organisers are advising visitors to look out for their own road signage to the event car park, from whatever direction they are travelling from.

“We are grateful that at least our ploughing machinery is going to be let through, but access won’t be allowed through the works to other traffic, which should get to the site off Stone Street,” said Mr Overy.

The East Kent Ploughing Match is a celebration of traditional farming life and has been running for almost 80 years.

As well as the ploughing competitions, which will include vintage machinery and shire horses.

There will also be dozens of exhibitors and stalls, most with a countryside theme.