THE Great Dorset Steam Fair has received £136,000 from the government's Culture Recovery Fund.

Announced in the second round of payments from the fund, the money will help safeguard the future of the event, which is planned to return to the county in 2022.

The Great Dorset Steam Fair, which had been due to take place near Tarrant Hinton, Blandford, in August, was cancelled for the second consecutive year for 2021 due to the coronavirus outbreak.

It usually attracts more than 200,000 visitors over five days and occupies more than 600 acres.

Martin Oliver, managing director of the steam fair, said: “Following our recent application, we are delighted to have been awarded support from round two of the Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage.

"The coronavirus pandemic has been devastating to the event industry and this grant will help safeguard the sustainability of the event as we look ahead to planning the next show in 2022."

The government's £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund was launched to help organisations recover and reopen following the pandemic.