Crowds flocking to Shrewsbury Flower Show

Thousands of people were today pouring through the gates of the 125th Shrewsbury Flower Show – as temperatures looked set to rocket.

Organisers said they were expecting about 50,000 people to attend the floral extravaganza in The Quarry over the course of today and tomorrow.

And as well as the millions of blooms on display, celebrity chef James Martin will be attending to give cookery demonstrations. Brian Goodwin, chairman of the Shropshire Horticultural Society, said the 125th show promised to be a special occasion, reflecting that it had fallen in the same year as the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and the Olympic Games in London.

Many exhibitors were taking a royal theme, while a giant screen has been set up near the main arena to show some of the key events from the Olympics. Mr Goodwin said: "We always look to get in excess of 50,000 people if we can. We had about 48,000 last year and are hoping to beat that."

About three million blooms will be on show, while visitors will also be able to look forward to folk band Oysterband and show jumping.

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