Tens of thousands of visitors will be flocking to a series of hugely popular farmer-run shows across Suffolk in May.

Among the shows which came back with a bang as pandemic restrictions were lifted last year were the South Suffolk Show, the Hadleigh Show  - and the biggest them all, the Suffolk Show.

The farmer volunteers who run them will be hoping to build on - or match - the huge success of last year's events and capitalise on the great enthusiasm they unleashed to experience events in the great outdoors once again.

East Anglian Daily Times:

Throughout the month, farmers across the region will be busy preparing their prized livestock for competition and shining their tractors and farm machinery for events.

May's show bonanza begins this weekend with "mini county show" the Otley Big Day Out organised by Suffolk New College's Suffolk Rural Campus on Saturday (May 13).

On Sunday (May 14), South Suffolk Show will be returning to Ampton Race Course at Ingham, near Bury St Edmunds and will include livestock competitions, food demonstrations, motorcycle displays and ferret racing.

Award-winning rural crafts festival Weird and Wonderful Wood will also be taking place over the weekend (May 13 and 14) at Haughley Park, near Stowmarket.

The fun continues next Saturday (May 20) with the Hadleigh Show which includes a host of livestock contests and thrills and spills in the grand ring.

Then to crown the month the Suffolk Show will be taking place at Trinity Park, Ipswich, during half term week on Wednesday, May 31 and Thursday, June 1. The farmer team stewarding the event will be headed up by top Suffolk farmer John Taylor.

Next month, Woolpit Steam Rally will be wowing the crowds with some ancient farm machines on June 3 and 4.

And as summer progresses, farmer-run Tendring Show returns to Lawford House Park near Manningtree on July 8.