BRILLIANT sunshine and blue skies drew a record crowd to the 18th Eastgate sheep show in Weardale on Sunday.

Memories of foot-and-and-mouth were put to rest as hundreds of farmers and their families got down to the business of judging the 45 classes of stock - and having a grand day out.

Bill Wearmouth, a leading breeder of Blue-faced Leicesters and show president, said: "There are a lot of very, very good sheep on show here today. This demonstrates that shows like this will carry on for many years, despite the devastating effects foot-and- mouth had on the industry."

Mr Wearmouth, who farms at Eastgate, was "more than a bit proud" to be the first winner of the Arnold Jopling Memorial Trophy, presented by the Jopling family in memory of the highly respected Weardale farmer, who died last year.

Mr Wearmouth, who picked up the trophy with his grandson, Christopher, for a tup lamb, was a lifelong friend of Mr Jopling, a founder of the Eastgate show.

The Wearmouths went on to win the overall Blue-faced Leicester trophy with a gimmer lamb.

But it was another Weardale farmer, David Scown, from Wearhead, who emerged as show champion, with a Texel tup lamb. He also won the trophy for any other breed of sheep.

Winner of the Swaledale classes was Colin Martin, from Stanhope, with a gimmer shearling, and first in the Mules was Martin Brown, from Thirsk, with a gimmer hogg.

* Full results will appear in next week's paper.