CROWDS surged to yesterday's Westmorland County Show, smashing all previous attendance records - but the success brought chaos to the area's roads.

Around 25,000 people converged on the Lane Farm showground at Crooklands, a firm indication that South Lakeland people were determined to enjoy a great day out and show their support to farmers in the wake of last year's foot-and-mouth crisis which devastated the industry.

But the sheer weight of numbers attending caught the police completely by surprise and roads leading to the show were clogged with bumper to bumper traffic.

But according to chief executive and show secretary Rodger Read even those caught up in gridlocked traffic arrived in good spirits.

"By one o'clock people were still flooding in.

It has been tremendous," he told the Gazette.

However, he apologised for the traffic problems and gave assurances the committee would look into resolving them for next year.

Livestock proved to be a major attraction, with exhibitors turning up from across the North, having been unable to exhibit at many of the other region's shows, which failed to include cattle this year.

Bigger and better was never more true than in the two giant food halls.

Four years ago there were only four exhibitors in the corner of someone else's tent.

This year more than 46 exhibitors packed two giant marquees.

Television celebrity Clarissa Dickson-Wright, who visited them, said: ''You've got some wonderful products.''

Applauding the Westmorland County Show, Miss Dickson-Wright said it highlighted the importance of food and farming standing side by side.

For all the obvious pleasure on display at the show, the farming community is still smarting from the foot-and-mouth crisis and joy at the return of the area's premier agricultural event has been tinged with anger at the continuing legacy of the crisis.

Sheep farmers in particular have been hit hard by foot-and-mouth's hangover of severe restrictions on animal movement almost a full 12 months after the last confirmed case of the disease.

In the sheep lines at the show, there was an undercurrent of anger with many farmers talking openly about flouting the regulations in spite of Government warnings that transgressors will be severely punished.

But the overall jubilant nature of the event was summed up by show secretary Mr Read who declared: "We wanted to stand up and be counted as an agricultural show at the centre of our community and I think that has happened."