The Royal Lancashire Agricultural Society (RLAS) is advertising the site in Myerscough as the Royal Lancs Show's "permanent base" despite a public backlash over the site move and no planning approval having been granted.

The website even gives event-goers directions to the site, dates for the event, opening times and a telephone number to ring for tickets.

Opponents of the plan today told of their astonishment at the developments.

Keith McKernan, of the No2DutchyPark campaign group, said: "It is damn galling what the RLAS have done. You would think it is a cut and dried deal as far as they are concerned.

"It is particularly upsetting that they almost seem to be pre-judging what is going to happen and pre-judging the planning committee's decision."

Fellow campaigner Lesley Sumner said: "It's ridiculous. They are trying to bulldoze it through. It is like the consultation is just going through the motions.

"Anything we object to, anything we do, we feel like it is all pre-planned." It is the latest controversy to surround plans to move the show to Myerscough.

Campaigners, community leaders and residents also fear roads in rural Lancashire will be choked by traffic as an expected 40,000 cars wind their way towards the event.

Anthony Gornall, councillor for Preston Rural North, said the city will get "all the pain with none of the gain" from the traffic.

He added: "It is as though it is some sort of fait accompli.

"They are just assuming that it is all going to go smoothly and it is as though they are turning their noses up at the planning process," added Coun Gornall.

A spokesman for the Duchy of Lancaster, which owns the Bilsborrow site, said: "For a temporary application you do not require a formal planning application, but the Duchy has submitted one and gone through due process in the interests of openness and transparency."