THE 250-year-old Central and West Fife show will return this weekend with milking demonstrations, dog showcases and a baby animal tent.

The traditional event will be held at Easter Bucklyvie farm in Crossgates and is set to provide entertainment for all the family.

The animal line-up includes beef, sheep, and dairy as well as goats, pigs, Clydesdale horses and light horses, After the dairy judging is complete there will be a chance to see where your milk comes from and how a sheep is sheared.

Main ring entertainment will involve The Drakes of Hazard Sheepdog Display where Mark Wylie will showcase his collies.

Attendees are also encouraged to bring their dogs along to the event and take part in the companion dog show.

The West Fife Young Farmers Club will be in attendance and in the afternoon the East Region Tug of War elimination will take place, with the winners going on to the final at the Royal Highland Show.

There will be handmade candles, jewellery, pictures, cards, handmade chocolates, tweed items, dog gifts and more on offer in the craft tent where Jenny Thomson from Courses for Cooks will also hold cookery demos throughout the day, focusing on 'cost of living' recipes.

Children can be entertained by a magician and storyteller or by visiting the baby animal tent, where families will also be able to learn about bees from the Dunfermline and West Fife Association of Beekeepers.

This year there will also be the chance to learn about growing your own produce with The Garden Sanctuary.

The Grand Parade of Prize Winners will take place around mid-afternoon ahead of the Heavy Horse Turnout and main ring events will round off with renditions from Burntisland Pipe Band, one of the oldest pipe bands in Scotland.

This year the President of the Central and West Fife Agricultural Society was gifted a red oak tree to mark 60 years in the post.

The Earl of Elgin and Kincardine hosted the annual show from 1980 to 1997 in the policy parks around Broomhall House.

Chairman James Mill helped plant the tree at Broomhall Estate in Charlestown.

The society dates back to 1760 and is thought to be the oldest of its type in Britain.

Library records show that two agricultural societies originally existed, the first being the The Chicken Pie Club which was constituted in 1760 and met annually in Crossgates.

The meeting always ended with a supper consisting of chicken pie, giving the club its name.

At one time there were eight agricultural societies in Fife which aimed to improve the breeding of cattle and horses in the region.

In 1962 the Central and West Fife Agricultural Society was formed with the incorporation of Leslie and Kinglassie Agricultural Society and the Western District of Fife Agricultural Society.

The annual meeting, or show as it is now referred to, was to be held on the first Saturday in June.

The Central and West Fife Show will take place this year on Saturday, June 3.

Tickets will be available on the gate for £12 or can be bought in advance via www.westfifeshow.com for £10.

Children under 14 are free to attend.