THE Great Yorkshire Show has a new chief cattle steward.

Tim Abbey, who farms at Long Marston, near York, has been appointed to the position after being a cattle steward for 30 years.

Mr Abbey said: "It's a major responsibility, not least because the Great Yorkshire has one of the strongest cattle entries of any show.

"Entries are coming in now for this year's show and we look set for another impressive three days with well-filled classes and quality cattle."

The farmer is following in the footsteps of his father, Frank Abbey, who was a nationally and internationally-renowned dairy cattle breeder.

He was a member of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, which organises the show, for more than 50 years and was chief cattle steward between 1949 and 1984.

Mr Abbey succeeds Bill Cowling, who is now honorary show director elect.

Last year, cattle entries stood at 1,029,which is back to the numbers of the 1990s, prior to the foot-and-mouth outbreak.