HARDY hill farmers braved blizzard conditions yesterday to take part in a show with a difference.

The annual hay show, staged in the car park of a pub in Eastgate, Weardale, County Durham, attracted 85 entries from as far afield as Northumberland and North Yorkshire - the largest since the event started 12 years ago after a bet between two farmers over who had the best hay.

It was especially poignant for local farmer Tony Collinson, who picked up the prize for the best old land hay.

Mr Collinson was also the overall winner of the show and the proud recipient of the Arnold Jopling Memorial Trophy, presented for the first time in memory of the respected Weardale sheep farmer and breeder, who died last year.

Mr Collinson, who had been a tenant of Mr Jopling's for 50 years, said: "This is a very special moment for me and my family. Apart from being my landlord, Arnold was also a very good friend."

The trophy was presented by Mr Jopling's widow, Gladys.

The cup for the best seed hay in the show, staged outside the Cross Keys pub, went to David Hill, from Ripon, North Yorkshire, and the first prize in the young farmers section went to Anthony Jopling, from Eastgate.

Paul Collinson, of the Cross Keys' Sunday Club, which organised the show, said: "The weather has been atrocious, but the number of entries has been magnificent."