ONE of the oldest agricultural shows in the country has been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Wolsingham show, which has been going since medieval times and has only ever been cancelled for the world wars and the foot-and-mouth epidemic.

However, the coronavirus lockdown has caused it to be cancelled for 2020.

The show is one of three major shows in Weardale and the second to cancel with Weardale show cancelled last week.

Ken Lough the shows president said: “Under the present rules it would be impossible to hold the show. You can’t socially distance on the show field.”

“Last year we had a total of 31,000 people at the show spread over the weekend, and so it would be very difficult to maintain two-metre distance and police it.

“We cannot expand the field anymore which already takes up 100 acres and so it is not viable.”

The show will be back in 2021.

A decision will be made in June on whether or not the Stanhope show will go ahead.