HAY sniffing returns to the agenda with the ninth annual Weardale Hay Show being held at the Cross Keys Inn, in Eastgate, County Durham, on Sunday, February 4, at 1pm.

The show attracts entries from all over the North, some from Scotland and the odd one from London.

Last year's contest had more than 120 entries.

Everyone takes the event very seriously, with prizes and rosettes for the top eight entries in two classes, old land hay and seed hay.

The judges spend more than an hour feeling and sniffing the bales to test their quality before making their decisions.

There is more than £400 in prize money with a trophy for the best bale of hay and a prize for the best presented bale.

The hay show is run by the Weardale Farmers Sunday Club, an informal organisation which also runs the annual spring sheep show and a new venture - a pork pie show.

For further details, contact Paul Collinson on (01388) 5217374.