This year's Melplash Agricultural Show has been cancelled.

The directors, together with show secretary Lucy Hart and show assistant Jasmine Hussey have been monitoring the situation closely with numerous discussions, but have decided the 2021 event will not go ahead.

This decision follows similar positions taken by Dorset County Show, New Forest Show and the Royal Cornwall Show.

Nigel Jones, president of the Melplash Agricultural Society, said: "Whilst recognising the wonderful news that our nationwide lockdown efforts and the arrival of vaccination does seem to be working, nevertheless, as government has advised, we still need to be vigilant and with the serious spike in Covid in Europe we are still not immune as a nation against the virus appearing again.

"The Government has advised that further advice on our type of event will not be forthcoming until June, which is too close to show day for realistic planning to take place."

Organising the event takes more than a year and it has also come to the time when the committee must book and pay deposits to contractors, but if organisers can't commit, it means a considerable financial outlay against the society's reserves.

Mr Jones added: "Whilst recognising that some shows have at the moment announced that they are still proceeding, the Directors have concluded that the risks for our show are too great to accept, and that we are better served by concentrating on the 2022 show.

"During 2021 we shall be putting on events which usually surround our show, and which fulfil our charitable aims 'to improve the standards of agriculture in West Dorset and to educate the younger generation about the importance of agriculture, to enthuse and inspire them to study agriculturally related subjects and to take up careers in agriculture and rural crafts'."

Directors are investigating how they can stage as many of the society's events as possible, including the gardens competition, the farms and flock competitions, young farmers stock judging, the hedging and ploughing match and more webinars.

Mr Jones said: "Thanks to the support received from our members and sponsors we will be able to make bursary awards again this year and look forward to receiving applications in the coming weeks.

"All the Directors, together with Lucy and Jasmine, are truly saddened in having to make this decision. Whilst recognising that this is no doubt a huge disappointment to you, the health of everyone is paramount and this will make us all even more determined to make the 2022 show the best ever.

"Thank you for your continued support and understanding."

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