ONE of the largest events on the Ledbury area's summer calendar is set to draw crowds to Much Marcle, this weekend.

Up to 8000 visitors, or even more, are expected over two days at the Much Marcle Steam Rally, as organisers brace themselves for a record breaker at the Rye Meadows venue.

The show promotes itself as "a superb array of steam traction engines, vintage tractors, vintage commercial vehicles, vintage

motor cycles and cars, stationary engines, fairground organs, models and crafts".

This year, there will also be more than 40 trade stands.

The first Much Marcle Steam Rally was held in July 1986, when the Herefordshire Traction Engine & Vintage Club was formed.

Club secretary, Claire Poyner said: "This could be the best year so far. We have even more exhibits than usual this year.

"People can come for a fun day out, for old fashioned fun."

There will be a grand total of 20 full-sized traction engines, and 30 "miniature steamers", which are working models of larger engines.

There will be around 100 vintage tractors, and the same number of motorbikes, not to mention vintage cars and a old time fayre.

There will also be live entertainment, including Calum Duell, who played at Robert Plant's 65th Birthday Party; Sound and the Sirens; The Hawthornes; Chris Smee , and Which One’s Gerry.

A popular event, which first took place in 2013, is tractor pulling.

The aim is for a tractor to pull a heavy sledge along the track, with the winner being the tractor that can pull the sledge the furthest.

The event, which will take place this year on Saturday, July 18 and Sunday July 19, from 10am to late on the Saturday and from 10am to 5pm on the Sunday, is very much part of the local scene.

It has only failed to take place on 3 years since 1986, with one cancellation due to foot and mouth and the others down to flooding.