THEY may not have the glamour of their larger equine cousins but donkeys still have pulling power.

One of the largest donkey shows in the North saw 21 of the animals gather at Sutton-under-Whitestonecliffe, near Thirsk.

As well as the serious best of breed classes, the Donkey Breed Society show also featured a driving class, with the donkeys pulling exercise carts, and fun classes for pets and young handlers.

The show was established after the demise of Sutton Show and is now in its fourth year, with the winner, which on Saturday was two-year-old Owram Belle, from Halifax, going through to the society's supreme championships, in September.

Alison Cramb, northern region secretary of the Donkey Breed Society, said: "I have always loved donkeys from when I was younger. They're very calming and relaxing and solid and dependable.

"Some of them do a bit of work but they're pets really, just like rabbits and dogs."

The show was held in conjunction with the North Yorkshire Smallholders Society for the first time this year, with stalls displaying some of the interests of its members, numbering nearly 100.