And they fear scrapping the three-day event could run to millions of poinds.

Organisers had to cancel the event, which was expected to attracts crowds of around 60,000 people, on health and safety grounds after torrential rain turned the Bilsborrow showground into a bog.

It is the second consecutive year the show has been cancelled.

Last year's event at Ribchester was also cancelled after weeks of heavy rain waterlogged the site.

The show had just moved to the new venue, off the A6, this year.

Adrian Marklew, spokesman for the Lancashire and Blackpool tourist board, described this year's cancellation as "desperate news".

He said many local food producers would have run stalls and in terms of a total impact, "millions of pounds" would have been lost.

Hugh Evans, director of policy at Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, said the cancellation was "a blow to small businesses" selling at their fair.

He added it was a "huge disappointment" which would "hit these businesses hard".

Several inspections were carried out on the site in the 48 hours before the decision to cancel the show was taken.

Extremely heavy rain overnight on Wednesday created difficult conditions, which deteriorated further when vehicles arrived to set up.

This year was meant to be the first show at its a new, permanent site on the Duchy of Lancaster Estate.

Dating back to 1767, the Royal Lancashire Show is believed to be one of the oldest agricultural shows in England.

It is also one of the most popular events in Lancashire during the summer.