It's official - 77,000 people visited this year's Kent County Show.

The celebration of rural life attracted two thousand more people than in 2014, buoyed by sizzling temperatures and the impressive efforts of organisers to secure the Red Arrows for the opening day.

Show manager Lucy Hegarty, said: “We have tried for many years to have The Red Arrows, however being such a worldwide attraction they have always had prior engagements. The wait was absolutely worth it, they literally stopped the show.

Our only problem is all our delighted visitors have asked that they come back next year and on all three days.”

Livestock entries come from all over the country to compete for the coveted prize of supreme champion, and the showground played host to the largest gathering of Young Farmers in Europe with more than 300 members competing.

Last year’s Cattle Supreme Champion winner Designer Holsteins from Essex picked up the award once again, while Hazel Long from Canterbury got the equivalent gong for her sheep.

And David McPherson won the showjumping Grand Prix on Sunday with horse Gloria Van Zuuthoeve.

Rainham Flower Club won The Tim Day Memorial Trophy for the best floral arrangement in the show, with the Millbrook Garden Company honoured for the best garden display exhibit.

Other, more light-hearted contests included Bob Hogg’s Lamb National, where hundreds of spectators gathered to cheer on the likes of Woolly Jumper, Red Ram and Mint Sauce as they navigated a course of brightly coloured jumps with mini toy jockeys on their backs.

Dogs competed to out-jump each other into a swimming pool in a sport known as dock diving, hosted by K9 Aqua Sport, while tree surgeons shimmied up 25m tall wooden pillars in the Husqvarna UK Pole Climbing Championships, which debuted at last year’s event.

Kevin Attwood, chairman of the The Kent County Agricultural Society which organised the show, said: “We are absolutely delighted with the figures, however, just as importantly we have been inundated with positive feedback from visitors, exhibitors and competitors.

"We have never had so many people take the time to thank us for their great day out and comment on what a wonderful atmosphere there was at this year’s Show”.

To see our picture gallery and videos from the event click here.