I have just had a text from my daughter who says they have abandoined the show because of the winds and the tents blowing down. Anyone else heard anything?

I've been in touch with friends who are at Blackpool today throughout the morning.

The weather has been horrible with gale force winds, the catering tent has come down altogether and the main ring tent was being held down by 4 tractors. Exhibitors were being asked to leave as soon as judging was finished and the trade stands packing up.

However, not long ago the organisers decided to abandon the show as it was too dangerous to continue so there are now exhibitors, trade stand holders, judges and caravans all trying to leave the sight.

Thoughts are with everyone caught up in the chaos and hoping you all post to say your home safely as soon as you are able.

Truly a time when people and their dogs safety are much more important than a bit of cardboard!

WOW, it was windy on Friday and that was before the gales!  Can't imagine how bad it is now as it's bad here in Manchester and there's no wya that I would have travelled there today.  I was going to camp there, glad my campervan wasn't ready in time now!!

Thoughts to all those who were there today and hope that you ALL get home safely!!

Just spoke to daughter who says it is chaos, people panicking, she was evacuated from a tent which collapesed 5 mins later. No one injured but good job they got them out. She also heard that someone in catering got scalded with chip fat. Its horrendous apparently

Higham Press have updated their website to say show abandoned! :-(

That is certainly very worrying - I hope everyone gets home safely :(

A complete contrast to here where it is glorious sunshine!

lovely day here in Berkshire too, a little windy but bright sunshine.
hope everyone gets home safely.
xx

I am just home from there and it was very unpleasant conditions and am so relieved the organisers decided to abandon.

I believe some tents did end up down etc.  Hope everyone's OK my friend has decided to stay there in the campervan rather than drive in the bad weather.  Hope everyone's OK!

The Best in Show ring tent was being held in place by 4 tractors and was cordened off . The catering tent  started to go and people quickly rushed out someone was unfortunately scalded and were taken away in an ambulence. The tent then blew down at which point stewards entered our benching and indoor ring area and told us that the show was to be abandoned to get ourselves and the dogs out of the tents and into our vehicles as quickly as possible for safety reasons. Very very scary.

After getting off the site today I went and visited a friends a few minutes away and drove past the show site a couple hours later and by then the lane to the site was closed with part of a tent laying accross the road - which had obviously come some distance!

Just come from there -literally left 5 minutes before it closed as everyone who had not got BOB was told to leave. There's photos on Higham: http://www.highampress.co.uk/info.asp

sounds awful.  hope all the dogs and exhibitors  were ok

Gillian
glad you got home ok I saw you from a distance today.
Do you know if Ann and Ken are ok.
Sharon

Hi, Anne and Ken had left after the dog ticket had been judged so before it got to the stage of being abandoned.
Glad to see your back safely aswell.

Horrible day,  never seen winds like them....when I got there around 10 stewards where already telling people to abandon the outside rings and get of the s/ground..  they where ushering everyone into the tents.... around 12 it was becoming evident the  tents where not going to hold,   stewards where asking people to leave as soon as they had finished showing...I know a young Boxer in PB was hit by a loose flap of the tent... her owner picked her up and  left ... hope it has not scared her in any way..

Glad everyone got home safely... and hopefully with dogs that where not to traumatised.

A Friend witnessed 2 Great Danes being swept of the feet, with  the owner trying to steady them  , in their panic.