ORGANISERS of the 53rd Lanchester Show, in County Durham, hailed the event at the weekend a success.

The show attracted more than 1,000 entries, with more than 700 horses and ponies taking part. The dog show attracted 515 entries, in 152 classes.

Show organiser Bill Cliffe said: "We are very pleased with the way the event has gone.

"The show used to be well known for its cattle and sheep classes but we had to scrap the agricultural side of the weekend, because of restrictions following the foot-and-mouth crisis.

"However, we remain one of the top events on the traditional horse and pony competition circuit, being the first event on the calendar.

"We had entrants from as far afield as Dumfries and North Yorkshire."

Mr Cliffe said there had been an increase in the number of skewbalds and piebalds taking part.

He said: "There is a common perception of them being plain old working or scrapyard horses.

"But when they you get them on the field in a show condition, they are a fabulous sight."