AN UNGRAZED meadow behind the local hotel has proved a blessing in disguise for farmers battling to keep an historic sheep show alive.

The Langdon Beck show takes place tomorrow in the field behind the Langdon Beck Hotel.

For while thousands of sheep have grazed the moors and fields around the village, none have set foot in the field allowing the show to go-ahead under the foot and mouth regulations.

However the 150 sheep entered will have to go into isolation pens after the event and DEFRA cleansing restrictions will apply to vehicles.

The show was resurrected two years ago, after an absence of nearly 100 years, largely through the efforts of Upper Teesdale farmers.

"It seemed like a total disaster when we had to cancel last year's show because of foot-and-mouth," said Martin Hill, show secretary.

"There was a very good chance it would never come back, after all you can't resurrect something like this twice."

But, mainly through the determination of farmers helped by the Upper Teesdale Agricultural Support Service and Teesdale Marketing, tomorrow's show will go ahead.

In its heyday in the late 1800s, the show attracted thousands of visitors and entries from a mainly farming population of 700 in Forest-in-Teesdale. Today the population has shrunk to less than 100.

Lord Barnard, the land owner who re-opened the show two years ago, has this year increased the champion Swaledale sheep prize money to £150.

The show opens at 12.30 and entry is £1. Food is available in the hotel and a marquee on the showfield.

Other attractions include a quoits tournament, craft stalls and children's entertainment, including a bouncy castle, and music from the Middleton and Teesdale Silver Band