MATTHEW Carvalho should have no problem parking at today's Romsey Show.

He's the man at the controls of the replica Mark 1 First World War tank which will be one of the stars of the show.

The tank was built to appear in Steve Spielberg's blockbuster movie War Horse.

The film makers came to Bovington Tank Museum in Dorset to look at their original Mark 1 and when their replica had done its duty on film the museum bought it from them.

Although made from steel it is much lighter than the real thing - weighing in at a mere eight tonnes rather than 20.

It's powered by a modern Hyundai excavator engine and unlike the 1916 model it can be driven by just one man. The first tanks had a crew of eight including an engineer, a steersman and gearsman.

However, like the original it can only a manage a top speed of 4mph and when it arrived at the showground yesterday it took 15 minutes to get  from the main entrance to its parking spot by the World War One Marquee.

This year's show has Great War theme to commemorate the centenary of the outbreak of the conflict and features an army of re-enactors - not all of them on the ground.

One of the high lights of the show will be the Great War Display Team flying eight of their replica aircraft.

A Sopwith Triplane, three SE5as from the Royal Aircraft Factory at Farnborough and the BE2c that was Britain's first military aeroplane will be circling the sky with a pair of German Junkers and a Fokker Triplane, which was a favourite of the legendary Red Baron.

Already a hit at the Cosford and Farnborough air shows this summer, the display team has captivated audiences with its recreation of the dogfights over Europe.

Joint show president Major General Patrick Cordingley is entering into the spirit of things - he will be donning the high boots and heavy tunic favoured by First World War generals to take the salute on horseback for the show's closing ceremony.

Today's show runs at Broadlands from 8am until 6pm and will also feature all the traditional animal classes, vintage farm machinery, traction engines, the Food Zone and more than 300 trade stands.