THE impact of the foot-and-mouth crisis is on the agenda for the Swaledale sheep show committee's annual meeting at Tan Hill on Tuesday at 8.30.

The show, held at the end of May, would have celebrated 50 years last year, but was cancelled for the first time in its history because of the virus.

Organisers are in regular contact with Defra but are unsure whether the event will go ahead this year, owing to restrictions still imposed on showfields.

Raymond Calvert, show secretary, said: "We are weighing up all the possibilities but, at the moment, it doesn't look too promising."

However, for Mr Calvert, of Hoggarth's farm, Keld, spring has begun with good news for his enterprise. He broke the record for a Swaledale gimmer hogg at a well-supported video sale at Hawes mart on Saturday when one of his animals made £3,500.

"We lost a number of sheep in the foot-and-mouth culls but we entered three gimmer hoggs in the video sale," he said.