THEY came, they saw, they conquered.

Forty-six Citroen H-vans, the distinctive corrugated utility vehicles from France, rolled into Melplash for the fourth annual rally, which is now the biggest of its kind.

The vans, along with about 10 Citroen 2CVs, descended onto the sunny cricket field after an enforced absence last year because of the foot and mouth crisis.

"It was brilliant," said organiser Simon Doe from the village's Corner Garage. "It was a record number."

Previously, the most H-vans all in one place at the same time was for at the vehicle's 50th anniversary rally in Stratford - and then there were just 28.

But at Melplash this year for the 55th anniversary, they just kept coming.

Simon said: "They started arriving on the Thursday, when we got set up and then they all turned up in dribs and drabs, with some coming on the Sunday morning."

Passers-by looked on in astonishment as the vans went in convoy down to West Bay on Sunday morning.

"They were gobsmacked," Simon said. "They were standing open-mouthed when the first three to four went past. There were people stopping and getting out of their cars to take photos."

Vans came from as far afield as Holland and France and across the UK from North Wales to Warrington and Burnley. Age was no barrier - there were young owners with children as well as retired Citroen enthusiasts.

Simon was born in the same month and year as the H-van, as was John Sobey, chairman of the H-van register.

Simon now works on H-vans all the time and Corner Garage has become something of a specialist in the vehicle during the last few years.

"We just fell into it by accident," Simon said. "It's grown from there really and we now have the Le Cube Utile business at Corner Garage."

And does he like H-vans?

"It's different.I'd get bored with run-of-the-mill cars," he said.