THERE were plenty of blasts from the past at the annual Chipping Steam Fair.

The three-day event, which finishes today at 5pm, has seen thousands of visitors go down to the Green Lane showground to see vintage vehicles and steam engines.

As well as the mechanical attractions, including classic cars, tractors, military vehicles, motorcycles and steam traction engines, there has been live music, a beer tent, a fairground for youngsters, a food hall, donkey rides, a dog agility show, birds of prey, a craft fair and a digger play pen.

A bumper crowd was helped by the good weather, which saw bright and sunny spells on Saturday afternoon and lovely sunshine yesterday.

An event spokesman said: "It was three fun packed days for all the family'."

The fair, which is now hailed as one of the North West’s top annual attractions, began as a one-off venture in 1998 arranged specially to raise funds for a new village hall.