The first ever steam engine rally to be held at the Boconnoc Country Park has been hailed as an outstanding success, with the hundreds of visitors enjoying every moment of this 'new type' steam show.

The former traditional Merrymeet Traction Rally has been re-located to Boconnoc and a spokesman for organisers, the Liskeard Steam and Vintage Club, said they had been well rewarded for 12 months of painstaking planning, which resulted in a well presented and run operation.

'All the catalogues were sold by the close of the show and traders and visitors left safe in the knowledge that the event is secure for the future' he said.

The beautiful setting of Boconnoc was an added draw to the event, the mature parkland proving to be a perfect setting.

The show occupied some 50 acres of the extensive grounds, which visitors were able to view from the on-site transport which took them to the more distant parts of the show, such as where the unique steam dredging of the overgrown lake was taking place.

The Sunday started with an early morning service in the 15th century church and as a special treat the congregation were taken on a steam hauled trailer ride in the sunshine to the event's various highlights.

Evening entertainments included a disco interspersed by Can Can dancers (Moulinex Rouge), and participants and visitors agreed it had been a wonderful weekend.

Winner of the top prize in the raffle, a Ferguson Tractor, was K Richards of St Austell, other winners being P Day (Liskeard), L Pethick (St Austell), David (Looe) and L Hooper (Saltash).