BIG trucks and strong men were out in force at a power-packed event which has been drawing crowds from all over the region.

This year's Barnard Castle truck show, which incorporates the final of the North-East strongest man contest, looks like being the biggest and best of its kind to date.

The show, staged over three days at Streatlam Farm, County Durham, has attracted 530 working and vintage trucks, competing for prizes in 23 different classes.

Tony Walker, a driver for PD Logistics, has brought his family with him and, like many others, his truck is his pride and joy.

He said: "An event like this is brilliant because everybody chips in. People say to us it's only a truck and ask why we look after them so well, but we live in these trucks - when you're out all week they're your home."

Many of the trucks on show are personalised and have all mod cons, including cookers, televisions and CD players.

Some have elaborate designs on them, such as two of the fleet owned by M&M Haulage, of Hexham, Northumberland. Marg Howdon, who owns the company with her husband, Mark, has decked one truck out in a Mickey Mouse theme and another has a Looney Tunes livery.

A third truck is due to be decorated with a Tom and Jerry design.

While the truckers were lovingly cleaning their vehicles, the region's strongest men were flexing their pecs in a strength-sapping competition.

This year's contest, sponsored by C&S Transport, of Barnard Castle, featured five events - a log lift, stone walk, tyre flip, car hold and truck pull.

It was won by Simon Morton, of Haltwhistle, Northumberland, for the second successive year.

He also became the first man to claim a hat-trick of titles, winning by just two points from Barnard Castle's Mark Lawson, with Billy Little, of Wooler, Northumberland, a point further adrift in third.

Event organiser Bob Daglish said: "It was an excellent contest and really close all the way. Mark was leading the competition until the truck pull, when Simon just got himself in front."

The weather took its toll on two competitors who had to stop because of exhaustion, including promising 20-year-old Jonathan Graham, of Stanley, County Durham, who won the stone walk event.

Show organiser haulier John Toulson said: "It's all gone very well and it's been very well attended. We've got a lot of good fleets here and had a lot of interest."

The event, on the A688 between Barnard Castle and Staindrop, continues today, from 9am to 4pm.