Yorkshire Brides have brought a bizarre trend over from the USA to the Great Yorkshire Showground for visitors to see.

The latest craze sweeping the States is "Trash the Dress" which sees brides dirty up their gown - for fun!

Cathy McConaghy, managing director of Yorkshire Brides, said: "It's going to be a fad here over the next few years.

"It's the final shot of a bride walking into a lake or rolling around in the mud and it's about putting that last shot in their wedding album. It's going to be a real fashion thing."

Wellies will have be an essential feature of the 150th Great Yorkshire Show with rain forecast for all three days.

But show director Bill Cowling was in upbeat mood as he unveiled a stream of exciting new additions to the three-day event which starts today – despite the deadly disease blue tongue hitting cattle and sheep exhibit numbers.

Great Yorkshire Show slideshow

And he said a new £5.1m regional agricultural centre featuring a cafe and shop selling foods from Yorkshire is being built on the ground. The site is due to open in May 2009, ready for next year's event.

This year's show promises to be fun-packed for visitors with a hot air balloon display as well as thrilling equestrian riding by the Great Lorenzo – on 12 saddle-free horses!

The Black Dyke Band will entertain crowds while a 30m-high Ferris wheel will offer stunning views. But the biggest attraction will be a visit from the Queen who will be there for the full day on Thursday.

Mr Cowling told the YEP that despite blue tongue, there was still a fantastic turnout – far greater than 2003 after the foot and mouth outbreak.

"Blue tongue is not foot and mouth but it's very serious in cattle and sheep. We have 671 cattle entries this year and last year we had 1,100; with sheep we have 937 compared with 1,700 usually.

"There's no outbreaks here but there's movement restrictions which has affected some exhibitors."

As for the weather, the car parks are in better condition than last year due to a dry run up to the show and Mr Cowling added: "There so much going on though, people can stay undercover for the whole day if they like."

Organisers hope this will be the best show yet, with advance ticket sales up by around 40 per cent on last year's figures.

The anniversary year, the visit by the Queen on the final day and the general growth in internet usage are all reasons for the increase, according to organisers.

Visitors are encouraged to travel by train and use the free shuttle buses from Harrogate station in a bid to beat traffic congestion, notorious on show days.

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