THE shorts and flip-flops were swapped for coats and umbrellas for the final day of the Royal Cornwall Show on Saturday.

But the deteriorating weather did not dampen the enthusiasm of people who flocked to the Wadebridge showground in their thousands for the public day.

And the clouds gave way to blue skies by late afternoon, ensuring a sunlit end to proceedings.

Show secretary Chris Riddle said it had been a "super show", boosted by fine weather on the first two days.

"We had two perfect days to start," he said. "Today was not so good but it did not deter anyone. There were a lot of smiling happy faces."

Crowds from all corners of Cornwall and beyond descended on Wadebridge for the public day of the show, with long tailbacks on approach roads by 9am.

And the walkways of the showground were thick with people by mid-morning, enjoying the animal shows and the many trade stands. There were painted faces and ice-creams and pasties being enjoyed as visitors lapped up the atmosphere.

The Cornwall Food and Drink tent was thronged with hungry buyers from mid-morning, queuing for products ranging from organic beefburgers to fudge and roast duck.

Mr Riddle said the show now deserved to be ranked among the best in the country.

"I think we are up there with the national players," he said.

"When you consider that the others are national shows, and we are a regional show, it is really pleasing."

He suggested that events like the Royal Cornwall Show had a therapeutic effect on people who were going through tough times, like the current economic problems the country was facing.

"People like to get together," he said. "A problem shared is a problem halved as the saying goes, and there is a lot of truth in that."

Most encouraging of all was that a bumper array of livestock had been shown in a year when there were fears numbers could fall.

"The fact the cattle section broke records for entries in a year when it could have been difficult was very pleasing," said Mr Riddle.

Entertainment in the arena for the crowds during the final day ranged from shire horse displays and showjumping to Dave the Human Cannonball and the Kangaroo Kid, a motorcycle and quadbike stunt rider.

There was also a much-applauded showing from hounds and riders from eight different Westcountry hunts.

As showground staff get to work cleaning up after the event, organisers await the final attendance figures. It will be a few days before they are announced, but it is expected to be well in excess of 100,000 for the three-day extravaganza.