WEBLINKS
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 |  | There was mud everywhere and heavy showers made it tricky to see past your brolly at times - no, it wasn't Glastonbury but the Royal Show.
The weather may not have been kind but it didn't stop throngs of determined visitors make a bee-line for the Royal Showground at Stoneleigh Park in a strong show of solidarity with the UK farming industry, which is still getting back on its feet after recent crises.
For the first time, the show was open on a Sunday, which attracted thousands of interested members of the public to the showground.
To launch the gallery of pictures taken at the show, click on the Images button at the bottom of this page.
After the cancellation of the show in 2001 because of the foot and mouth crisis, last year's event was a more sombre affair and the number of exhibitors seemed to be down on the pre-foot and mouth days.
This year's show, however, showed a renewed spirit of optimism amongst the UK's rural community - though there were complaints about a decrease of focus on agriculture itself.
As usual, the big supermarket chains were in strong evidence - with large, expensive-looking displays and a number of give-aways on the main concourses, though there was plenty of support for smaller producers in the food hall.
| 听 |  | The farm machinery displays were popular
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In another change from previous years, the majority of exhibitors on the main concourses were devoted to selling their wares while the livestock, machinery and agricultural equipment exhibitions were dotted around the peripheries of the site.
And this didn't seem to go down well with some show visitors. We spoke to some show visitors and they said they feared the show was moving towards commercialism and away from agriculture - with one visitor saying he thought the show was "becoming too much like the Town and Country Festival".
However, all visitors we spoke to praised the show for its efforts in creating interesting displays and attracting top quality exhibitors to the show, which lasts for four days.
听There was more controversy too in the shape of plans to expand Stoneleigh Park, which were revealed at the Royal Show.
The 拢100 scheme, it is proposed, will see a number of brand new features added to the site - the home of the Royal Agricultural Society of England - over a period of ten years.
Residents living around the site, which stands between Kenilworth and Leamington, can have their say on the plans, which will see the introduction of a new equine area and the introduction of farmers market and other rural events.
| 听 |  | The Friends of Ferguson Heritage display
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The news was well received by the rural community, particuarly as RASE claimed the expansion would create 1,000 jobs as well as boosting the local economy with extra visitors.
However, what residents think to the plans, which will add further disruption to their environment, remains to be seen.
听Unsurprisingly, at the top of the agenda for the week was fox hunting. As ever, there was a large groundswell of support at the show against a ban on hunting with hounds, which came to a head on the first day of the show.
The Your Countryside, Your Questions debate, hosted by Nick Ross, attracted 600 people and discussions on hunting became heated, with underwear being hurled at rural affairs minister Alun Michael.
| 听 |  | Fox hunting remains high on the agenda
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The Countryside Alliance, which lead the underwear assault, continued to campaign through the festival.
Their campaign to avoid an outright ban was bolstered with displays by packs of hunting hounds and a number of stalls around the showground.
听To launch our gallery of pictures taken at the Royal Show 2003, click on the Images button below.
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