The centre of attention at the Norfolk Show was the grand ring, which welcomed a wide variety of entertainment, from top class animals to high octane displays.

One of the biggest crowd draws was The RAF Falcons Freefall Parachute Display Team.

The team, which is celebrating its 50th year, was led down to earth from 2,500ft by Norwich's Sgt Mark Clayton.

Sgt Clayton was born in the city and went to CNS. He joined the RAF in September 1998 as a physical training instructor, and was selected to become a parachute jump instructor in 2003.

In 2009 he was selected for the Falcons, and for the second year in a row was able to land with them at the Norfolk Show.

This year, Sgt Clayton, 31, was given the honour of leading the stack of parachutists down.

'I really enjoyed it last year,' he said. 'I used to come with school so it is quite nice to come back.'

He said that his friends and family would be coming to watch today, as they will be doing two jumps.

He will be hoping to lead the team from an even higher height as low cloud meant that they jumped from 2,500ft. He said if the weather is clear they can perform display jumps from up to 12,000ft.

The parachutists only spend three years with The Falcons, meaning that Sgt Clayton is likely to have only one more Norfolk Show with the team before moving on to another role.

Together they do around 300 jobs a year as they travel across the country to perform and train the armed forces at locations across the world.

Commentating on the team was Graham Liggins, who has been with The Falcons for 16 years. He also used to jump and was able to explain what a dangerous activity it was, as in 1988 he had a near death experience when both his parachutes malfunctioned.

Spinning out of control at 150mph he remembers little apart from waking up in hospital.

'Because I was oscillating so fast I actually bounced off this field,' he said. 'I dislocated all my toes, I broke a few other bones in my body, but I survived.

'I went on to make many, many more jumps and I would say there is no better career for anybody.'

As the sun came out in the afternoon crowds flocked to see the spectacular Royal Signals Motorcycle Display Team – The White Helmets.

There were gasps and cheers as the daredevil motorcycle and quad bike riders jumped through a ring of fire, loaded 15 people on to five bikes and rode backwards around the arena.

Other performances included scurry diving, parades of cattle and shire horses, RAF Halton & RAF Waddington Pipes & Drums, and an entertaining display from 12 Norfolk Young Farmer groups including synchronised wheelbarrows and customised lawnmowers.