A classic car event which replaced the Euston Pastimes Event because of Covid restrictions has been deemed a great success by organisers.

The classic car rally took place in Euston park, near Thetford, on Sunday, June 15, with about 500 people saw the cars, tractors and a sheep dog trial.

Thetford & Brandon Times: The first cars setting off on the rally from Euston ParkThe first cars setting off on the rally from Euston Park (Image: Archant)

The normal Euston Rural Pastimes event sees thousands of people turn up to a much bigger county fair event.

Chairman of the Euston Rural Pastime event committee, Chris Fogden, said it was great to see so many people enjoy the scaled down day.

"It went very well," Mr Fogden said.

Thetford & Brandon Times: Tractors and classic cars gathered at Euston Hall for a special rally to replace this year's Euston Pasttimes Event.Tractors and classic cars gathered at Euston Hall for a special rally to replace this year's Euston Pasttimes Event. (Image: Archant)

"Our primary objective was to have a very nice day in these late Covid times.

"The event has been running since 1991 and it would have been very difficult to have held an event with restrictive numbers.

"With the current rules, we also felt it was a little risky to roll the date.

Thetford & Brandon Times: Zahra, Charlie and Freddie on the tractors.Zahra, Charlie and Freddie on the tractors. (Image: Archant)

"We decided to take a no-risk route. We literally spent nothing to hold this event so if we had to close the gate, we could.

"We had a classic car run and a tractor run and a sheep dog trial."

Organisers also used the event to raise money for the St Nicholas Hospice.

"We also hoped to raise some money, and it looks like we will have raised over £3,000 for the St Nicholas Hospice," Mr Fogden said.

Thetford & Brandon Times: Organisers deemed the scaled down event a success given the circumstancesOrganisers deemed the scaled down event a success given the circumstances (Image: Archant)

Mr Fogden, said the committee was disappointed to cancel the normal event for a second year, but understood it was the right thing to do.

He added: "It is enormous hard work to hold the normal event and this is the second year we have not been able to have it, but an enormous amount of people enjoy it and there is a huge army of people who all volunteer to help us put it on.

"It would have been very hard to hold the normal event, even if restrictions had lifted.

"There was a lot of mixed feelings. It was very nice because we started as quite a small event back in 1991 and it was nice to be back at that sort of scale where everyone just had a nice time and there was not massive pressure for weeks before."

Thetford & Brandon Times: Organisers hope to run the normal event next year after it being cancelled for two yearsOrganisers hope to run the normal event next year after it being cancelled for two years (Image: Archant)

The current plan is to hold the normal Euston Rural Pastimes event next year on June 12 2022.