A SHEEP show resurrected seven years ago after an absence of 100 years could be the North's sole survivior of the latest foot-and-mouth scare.

While shows throughout the region are having to cancel livestock classes, officials of the Langdon Beck Sheep Show, in Upper Teesdale, County Durham, have started putting out schedules to prospective exhibitors.

They are pinning their hopes on their show going ahead on the Government allowing sheep and cattle movements to return to normal service after September 8.

This would allow the Langdon Beck show, which has gone from strength to strength since it was revived in 2000, to go ahead.

Similar shows at Muker and Bowes have been cancelled because of the ban on livestock movements introduced since the foot-and-mouth outbreak in Surrey last month.

"It all hinges on whether the Government sticks to its September 8 deadline and relaxes the movement of livestock - and if we don't have a fresh outbreak of the disease," said Upper Teesdale farmer Richard Betton, who is the Langdon Beck show licence holder for the Department of the Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs (Defra).

"Sadly, this has come too late for other sheep shows, leaving us as the only one in the North with a chance of survival."

Along with other shows throughout the country, Langdon Beck had to be cancelled during the devastating foot-and-mouth outbreak of 2001.

But it returned successfully the following year.

Its chairman, farmer Neville Bainbridge, said: "We are delighted to be able to announce that if everything goes ahead with the relaxing of Government restrictions, then our show will carry on as a real celebration of the Swaledale breed."

Other shows in Teesdale and Weardale have not been so lucky.

Sheep and cattle classes at this weekend's Weardale Agricultural Society show at St John's Chapel have been cancelled.

A healthy programme of horse and pony events, along with a successful terrier and lurcher show, will go ahead, however, with photography, horticulture and home produce taking centre stage in the main marquees.

The following weekend, cattle and sheep classes have been cancelled at Wolsingham, the scene of England's oldest agricultural show.

"It's unbelievable that we have had another dose of foot-and-mouth in just seven years," said show secretary Gordon Dobson.

"It's caused a lot of pain and hardship, but we have learnt a lot of lessons from it all.

"One thing is certain, the show must go on. We have a lot of other attractions, including sheep dog trails, horses and ponies and harness racing."

At Stanhope Show, which takes place later next month, all sheep and cattle classes have been cancelled.

Secretary Fiona Graham said the most hurtful blow was the cancellation of a "racing pigs" event, which they were hoping to stage for the first time. "But we are trying, at very late notice, to get another big attraction for the show ring," she added.

Cattle and sheep classes have also been cancelled at next month's Egglestone show in Teesdale.