ALTON was buzzing on Saturday as thousands flocked to the town centre for The Herald Classic Car Show 2016 – and this year it was a real cracker!

With more than 200 vehicles on show – ranging from the elegant 1924 Rolls Royce Coupe owned by Eric Williams to Alan Armstrong’s 1933 Jowett Saloon, and from the 1943 Dodge Command Car exhibited by actor Oliver Tobias to the 1998 American Chevrolet Camaro owned by Heather Lunt, and the 1952 BSA Bantam ridden by motorcyclist Nicki Gaymer, many lovingly restored and all beautifully turned out and gleaming in the September sun – it was a sight to behold.

Classic, vintage, American and military vehicles lined the High Street, Market Street, Cross and Pillory Lane and the Market Square where in this, the event’s 14th year, visitors were treated to a real surprise with the arrival of Top Gear’s rugged red Toyota Hilux – the very vehicle whose progress had been tracked on screen by millions of BBC viewers as, driven by presenters Jeremy Clarkson and James May, it conquered the punishing Arctic terrain to become the first car to reach the magnetic North Pole.

Indeed, it proved a magnet in its own right with people of all ages keen to have their pictures taken with the car and to learn about the adaptations needed to undertake such a journey, which included 38-inch studded tyres and kit to warm up the engine to cope with temperatures as low as minus-40C.

In the back there were ice axes and chainsaws and even a gun for scaring off polar bears.

For John Ball, managing director of Motest (Farnham), it had been a real coup to get the Top Gear Hilux along to the show, and he was delighted with the response.

Run by the Alton Herald and Tindle Newspapers, with the support of Alton Town Council, this year’s classic car show was another outstanding success, with live entertainment in the Market Square fronted by radio broadcaster and compere Paul Le Feuvre, who hosted a hugely enjoyable musical programme featuring jazz musicians from Alton College, the Holybourne Singers Young Voices, rockabilly band Triple Aces, singer Michael Twiddy, and dance troup Dance on the Line – a group of becostumed 1940s and 1950s re-enactors who demonstrated swing dance and jive, and even invited members of the public to join in.

In addition, in the High Street, there was an arts, craft and vintage market, provided by Southern Market Traders, and an opportunity to view some modern day vehicles courtesy of trade exhibitors, including Winchester Motor Company, Town and Country Cars (Holybourne), Sandown Mercedes, Yeomans Honda, TESLA Motors, Motest Toyota (Farnham), and Bill Rawles Classic Cars (Four Marks).

The day had started early for many of the car show drivers as they gathered at Kingsley Country Market for breakfast prior to the start of a rally which took them along the country lanes to Anstey Park in Alton.

There, drivers were able to get coffee and bacon rolls courtesy of the 8th Alton Scouts before they paraded along Anstey Road and into the town, where the Alton Lions marshalled them into parking spaces.

During the day, the vehicles were judged in several categories by a range of judges, led by Alton deputy mayor Dean Phillips and Herald representative Simon Farrant.

Together they judged the American class, which was won by Solent Renegade Car Club member Paul Sullivan, from Waterlooville, with his 1968 Ford Mustang GT. The car was a clone of the vehicle driven by Steve McQueen during a car chase through the streets of San Fransisco in the Warner Brothers blockbuster Bullitt.

Winner of the Best Classic Bike class, judged by Steve Willard and Jay Jarrett, was Tony Hamilton-Smith, from Whitehill, with his 1970 Triumph Bonneville. Bought six years ago from a man in Alton for Mr Hamilton-Smith, this is the British company’s best model.

“It goes and stops and handles very well,” he said.

The award for the Best Turned Out vehicle went to Jeff Leyden’s 1968 Morris Mini Cooper S.

According to judge John Ball, he had singled out the Mini because it had done more than 275,000 miles and was still going strong. Discovered neglected in a garage on Hayling Island, the car was in “a really bad state” and needed a lot of work but since then had covered a lot of territory with Mr Leyden, who had led the morning’s rally from Kingsley to Alton.

In turn, Mr Leyden judged the Most Interesting class with the prize going to Tom Hanslip, from Hedge End, for his 1955 Austin Cambridge, which had almost all its original features. Taking the cup for Best Motor Trade Exhibitor, judged by Paul Evans and Tom Lewis, was Sean Wortley, of Winchester Skoda.

The award for the Best Military Vehicle, as judged by Alton Lions Bob Barber and Mike Baker, went to Farnham’s Bob Dungey for his 1944 Dodge Weapons Carrier. Valued by Bob as “a piece of living history”, he described the vehicle and its guns as “work in progress”.

Winner of the Best In Show title, judged by Mr Phillips, with the help of sisters Sky and Angel Shepherd, was Kenneth Day, from Tadley, whose 1969 black E-type Jaguar was immaculate inside out and upside down!

During the prizegiving cermony, conducted by Herald special projects manager Alan Wooler, much applause was given to Roger Cope, driver of a splendid MGB GT for donating the most sponsorship money, £110. Together with other excess funds raised by the event, this will be split between the Alton town mayor’s charity and the Alton Lions, who will both be donating the money to Home-Start WeyWater, the charity supporting families in need in the Alton, Bordon and Liphook area.