DESPITE having to cancel cattle and sheep classes because of the foot-and-mouth crisis, one of the last North-East agricultural shows of the year turned on the style at the weekend.

Thousands of people visited the 132nd Eggleston show, in Teesdale, County Durham, to enjoy events including mountain and moorland ponies, photography, crafts, baking and ferret racing.

There were 74 trade stands and a food hall, staged in a marquee, for the first time.

The shadow of foot-and-mouth faded into the background as officials reported attendances at the show on Saturday to be only slightly down on previous years.

Show secretary George Lawson said: "It was disappointing that we lost the livetsock classes because of the foot-and-mouth ban, but, hopefully, things will be back to normal next year."

Records in homebaking, crafts and dressed walking sticks were broken at the show.

However, a marathon effort in scone-baking by seven ladies from Women's Institutes throughout County Durham was the highlight.

During the day, they managed to bake more than 900 scones to add to the 1,200 they baked at Wolsingham show, in Weardale, earlier this month. The whole effort took 12 hours.

Mr Lawson, who has been the show secretary for 20 years, said: "We have grown quite a bit bigger over the years and, like other shows, we have become more commercial.

"But you have to go with the times and get the right mix for all the family."

* A full list of trophy and class winners at Eggleston show will be published in this week's edition of the Darlington and Stockton Times.