JOHN PINKNEY, who became a legend among the region's farmers after organising more livestock sales than anyone else in Britain, has died at the age of 89, only four months after he retired.

He started arranging sheep and cattle sales at Middleton-in-Teesdale, County Durham, when he was 16 and was busy at the mart for 73 years, until he retired in June.

He was assistant secretary to his father for the first few years, but took on the main role of mart secretary in 1935, and built up trade steadily over the years.

He oversaw the selling of thousands of cattle and hundreds of thousands of sheep each year, and said the total ran into several million animals.

He recalled that when he started, it was possible to buy four top quality wether lambs for £1, and farmers often spent days walking them to and from the mart.

When he finished, the same lambs cost more than £40 each, and wagons did the same journeys in two hours.

Four weeks ago, Mr Pinkney was invited back to the mart with his wife, Vera, to be presented with a framed picture of the mart as a gift from the directors.

The directors' chairman, Alan Scott, said: "Everyone connected with the mart looked on him as a father figure who could always be relied on to give excellent advice.

"I do not think his record of service can ever be surpassed."

Mr Pinkney said when he retired that he would have liked to continue until he was 90, but he was unwell and could not cope with modern technology and red tape.

He is survived by Vera, three sons and two daughters.

His funeral service will be held at Middleton-in-Teesdale Parish Church, on Thursday, at 1.30pm. Donations in lieu of flowers are being invited for the church and Middleton Surgery