WEARDALE celebrated the success of Britain's oldest agricultural show last weekend.

This time last year devastation swept the Dale as it struggled to come to terms with the effects of the foot-and-mouth outbreak.

Wolsingham itself became the first village in the region to fall victim to the epidemic and it has faced an uphill struggle ever since.

Its 223rd annual show had to be cancelled but this year organisers vowed the event would come back fighting, bigger and better than ever.

For the first time since it was established in the 1700s, the highlight of Wolsingham's social calendar opened on its very own ground, which was bought to hold last year's event.

The finished result far outweighed any expectations as thousands of people from all over the region turned out to support the three-day event.

Show secretary Gordon Dobson said that bad weather on Saturday threatened to make the event a washout but fortunately the rain soon went and by the time the afternoon came visitors were enjoying the sunshine.

Only a handful of farmers defied the odds and turned out to show their livestock with six showing cattle and a further 12 showing sheep.

Alec Peart, from Woodcroft Farm, Frosterly, had not shown his animals at the event for 20 years, but came along as a show of support. His Blue Faced Leicester was named overall champion.

Show committee member Morris Wilson said he and organisers were grateful to those farmers who had made the effort and blamed strict movement guidelines for the poor turnout.

He said: "Before they came here they had to fill out forms in triplicate and when they left they had more to fill in. When they get their livestock back to the farm they then have to go into isolation.

"If this land had not belonged to the show we probably would not have been able to show livestock at all because you are not allowed to put livestock on it for 20 days before and 20 days after. We are very very grateful to those who made the effort.''

Secretary of the horse section Sarah Harrison also praised the turnout from the horse community. She said: "Some people who did not show last year have found it hard to keep going. I am pleased to see so many people.''

And Keith Shepherd, chairman of the Wolsingham Chrysanthemum Society, said the horticultural side of the show had been the best he had seen in years.

The final day on Monday saw greyhound and harness racing as well as side shows and stands.