The Archbishop of Wales, Rowan Williams, will be in Powys on Sunday to take part in a service to bless the start of this year's Royal Welsh Show.

Dr Williams - widely tipped to be named as the next Archbishop of Canterbury - will deliver a sermon at the annual pre-show event, held at St Mary's Church, Builth Wells.

David Walters : appeal for public help

On Friday a row broke out following news that Dr Williams had been invited to become a "pagan" druid at next month's National Eisteddfod.

Members of the evangelical wing of the Church of England thought that accepting such a role would be inappropriate.

But, despite the controversy, Dr WIlliams remains the favourite to become successor to Dr George Carey.

Sunday's service at Builth Wells is an annual tradition for the organisers of the Royal Welsh Show - Wales' biggest agricultural event, attracting 250,000 visitors each year.

Difficult decision

Last year's event had to be cancelled in the midst of the foot-and-mouth crisis - a decision organisers described as the most difficult in the show's 100-year history.

Wales's premier agricultural event - cancelled only three times before during both world wars and the 1947 fuel crisis - is staged annually at Llanelwedd near Builth Wells, mid Wales.

The ground fell under emergency restrictions in March 2001 when the disease was discovered at a neighbouring farm.

Stallholders and exhibitors have already started setting up in preparation for the show, which runs from Monday to Thursday.

The show hopes to attract 200,000 visitors

Despite the absence of foot-and-mouth this year, restrictions are still in place.

As a precaution, visitors will have to walk over disinfectant mats, and they will not be allowed to make contact with the animals on show.

"We are asking people not to touch the animals," said chief executive David Walters.

"There will be signs and we will be asking people to respect them - that will help us a great deal."