BRITAIN'S top ploughmen and women will be battling it out at the British National Ploughing Championships at Bishops Lydeard on October 14 and 15.

More than 250 competitors will be vying for the titles in 15 classes.

The event is also a chance to see the changes in our farming heritage, with 18 pairs of horses ploughing each day showing the steady pace from a bygone age when it took a day to plough an acre.

Steam ploughing engines will be seen working – they date from late 19th or early 20th century, when contractors trundled through the countryside from farm to farm, running a ridden plough along a steel cable from one engine to another.

Vintage tractors came along in the 20th century and there will be the most up-to-date machinery from the 21st century on display on trade stands and working demonstrations.

With trade stands, shopping stalls, crafts and static vintage tractors and machinery on show, the British National Ploughing Championships and Country Festival will be a great day out.

There will be plenty of family members in the vintage trailed class, the crawler ploughing class and the horse ploughing class.

One pair to watch are the current British and European Vintage Champion, John Crowder who ploughs in the vintage trailed class and his wife, Laura, who will be ploughing in the Ford and Fordson class for the first time. John proposed to Laura when he won last year’s European Vintage Ploughing Championships and they were recently married.

Mark Turner, chairman of championship organising Society of Ploughmen, said: “We have a superb team of volunteers who are ready to organise a great event.

"We have tremendous support in Somerset and we are looking forward to a fantastic event at Bishops Lydeard.

"It's good to see so many young competitors this year and a few more ladies too.”

Admission to the event is £15 per person on the day and £2 for children. Discounted ticket are now available online with early bird discounts.

The event is held about 6 miles north of Taunton, just off the A358 (Taunton to Minehead Road). Further information and can be found on www.ploughmen.co.uk or from the Society of Ploughmen on 01302 852469, Facebook or Twitter.