Greetings from a damp and soggy Royal Norfolk Show.

I'm delighted to report that despite the inclement weather people haven't let that put them off and there are still plenty of punters milling around the site.

If you have never been to the show I'd wholeheartedly recommend that is something you put right as soon as possible (maybe today even), for if ever there was something that encapsulates what makes Norfolk such a fantastic place to live, this is it.

As well as the agriculture, which also points towards our wonderful landscape, all of the many organisations, charities and businesses that make this place tick are represented.

But above all the show is a place which represents the fantastic community spirit we have managed to maintain in this county.

I'd challenge anyone to walk around the site for five minutes and not spot someone they know.

There really is a great positive atmosphere here, everyone friendly, everyone smiling.

I was also pleasantly surprised by the number of children on site yesterday.

My wife and I had planned to bring our four-year-old and one-year-old but unfortunately other factors ended up getting in the way.

This led to a debate as to whether next year, when our eldest is in school, we'd take him out or not.

Hopefully this won't alert the authorities - but we plan to.

As many of you will probably know children used to get a day of holiday to attend the show until a few years ago.

I think it's such a shame this ended because, surely, there can be no better way to educate children about the county and all that it stands for?

Fortunately it appears many schools still see the benefit and arranged day trips with some of their children to the show.

It's a pity, however, that is unlikely to give access to as many youngsters as the previous arrangement would.

So next year I hope to be here with wife and two children fully in tow - unless of course our boy's school is one of the ones to see the light.