In Norfolk alone, more than 20,000 attend the show, with thousands more travelling from across the country and further afield to enjoy the annual spectacle.

This year, the show is expected to see 100,000 people attend throughout the six week-run, with some dates already sold out.

As many as 2,000 tickets are expected to be sold to people abroad.

30pc of people who go to see the show are from Norfolk. (Image: Thursford) John Cushing, who has been the show's producer and director for the past 47 years, described the months of work required to produce a show of Thursford's size and how, after all these years, the emotions are still as raw as they were during the first show.

He said: "I still have to pinch myself when I see where people travel from.

Mr Cushing said he still feels very proud of the show. (Image: Thursford Collection) "Even those who travel across the country, some of them drive seven or eight hours to get here and they pass so many theatres on their way........

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