A FULL and colourful history of Bowes Agricultural Society has been produced by two of its stalwarts, Paul and Robina Tranter, to mark its 120th annual show, being held next Saturday.

It has been a labour of love for the couple, who have been helped with research by another keen supporter, Margaret Cooper.

Their excellent book tells how the event was the brainchild of TE Headlam, squire of Gilmonby Hall, owner of much land in the locality, MP for Newcastle and former Attorney General. He was president of the first show, in a field behind the Ancient Unicorn, in 1869 and for the following six years.

That initial one attracted 116 entries in 30 classes of cattle, sheep, horses, pigs, butter and cheese.

It was restricted to people living within ten miles of Bowes. The numbers were far greater than expected and the show was hailed a huge success, with many glowing speeches at a dinner which followed.

Mr Tranter is general secretary of the show. Mrs Tranter is secretary of the horse and pony section. They devoted many hours to digging out facts, collecting photographs, writing the text and printing the book on computers. Some copies will on sale on the field on Saturday.

Mrs Tranter told me she is standing down after the show and wanted to complete the book as a farewell gesture. It gives fascinating details of officials, winners, trophies, good times, bad times and crises from the past 138 years, plus a poem, The Swaledale Royal, by Dick and Peggy Addison.

There has been no show in 18 of the years, mainly due to two wars and foot-and-mouth. Entries have risen steadily, none more so than in the horse section, which had 571 last year and will have a record of about 700 this time. "I'm pleased to have such a huge number for my final show," said Mrs Tranter.

A FOOTBALL team representing the Black Horse looked much longer in the tooth than their opponents from the Raby Arms in a Barnard Castle friendly match on Monday. Andy Leitch, 64, a midfield maestro for the Black, reckoned his side was 385 years older than the Raby men. Among his stars were Barry Eilbeck, over 60, and John Williams, over 50.

"But we won 2-0, turned on the style and showed those young 'uns how to play," he reported merrily. "It was just like watching Real Madrid."

DAVE MOORE doesn't have far to travel to see a marvellous and ever-changing array of birds. He has recorded no fewer than 117 species on a lake just a couple of miles from his home in Hutton Magna.

It is the sort of location that some twitchers must dream about, but very few seem to know. The water covers about three acres on private farmland.

It used to be marshy ground, from which water had to be pumped.

But since the pump was removed, it has become a picturesque setting - a haven for wildlife, a gift to the environment and a delight for an expert like Mr Moore, a retired paint consultant.

"I just about live down there at times," he told me. "It's a fantastic place. I'm not a twitcher.

"They tend to hope for a rarity to turn up, so they can rush along and stand in a crowd looking at it. I watch all kinds of birds.

"I experience them, as well as all other kinds of birdlife."

He jots down every sighting along with the date and time of day, so over the past six years he has built up a valuable record of the comings and goings at the lake.

"But I've also been doing it in other places for the neck end of 60 years," he added. "I just love all these creatures."

This year has not been the best for wading birds, but he says he has seen some gems.

They include four avocets and a whimbrel, a type of curlew that breeds in the Orkneys and Shetlands. Many waders use the lake as a resting point on flights to Northern Europe and the Arctic, and then again on their return trips to warmer climates.

He describes the sight of 27 black-tailed godwits, feeding profusely before moving on to Iceland, as unbelievable. Other regular migrants are dunlin wood and green sandpipers.

PAM MILLION, of Hamsterley, was delighted to see a photograph of her great uncle and aunt, Adam and Laura Walton, in the new book about Lunedale's heritage. It shows them at Bink House, where they were the last people to live before it was submerged under Selset reservoir.

"I have fond memories of going there with my grandmother for holidays," she told me. "It was a really lovely place."

She remembers churns of milk being placed in a stream to keep them cool while waiting to be collected.

Another highlight that sticks in her mind is Adam going off quietly to Middleton Mart in his tub trap, and coming back looking quite merry while singing happily to himself.

She also recalls visiting the Whey Syke home of her mother's cousin, Clarrie Beadle, the preacher who has been in the news lately.

"Clarrie's mother, Mabel, made wonderful cheeses and always had them set out on stone slabs in various stages of readiness," she said.