TORRENTIAL rain couldn’t dampen the high spirits at Buckham Fair.

After the pony and dog shows’ dry start, the heavens opened just after noon yesterday.

Traders and stall owners had come well prepared for the traditional British summer with marquees and tents.

The annual event was held at the 20-acre Buckham Farm, owned by actor Martin Clunes and his wife Philippa in Beaminster.

There were children’s pony rides, a traditional merry-go-round, food and gift stalls and laser clay pigeon shooting.

Dorset charity Weldmar Hospicecare Trust will receive the profits from this year’s event.

Director of fundraising Caroline Nickinson said: “It was absolutely chucking it down after lunch, it had been lovely before then.

“But it didn’t dampen our spirits.

“There was a phenomenal number of people, as it was set across a huge area.”

She added: “We would really like to express our gratitude and say thank you to all the people who came down and supported us and the work we do.”

The charity hopes to have raised £10,000 from this year’s event before the additional donation.

But some people wanting to attend the event faced long traffic jams as drivers used the nearby lanes as parking bays.

One visitor said: “It was awful. It took me over an hour to go a mile.

“The traffic was jammed up because of some selfish people who didn’t want to pay £2 to park and had parked in the lanes.”

He added that some people had turned round and left because the traffic had been so bad.